After the Senate, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has now submitted a calling attention notice in the National Assembly against a statement made by prime minister’s adviser Sartaj Aziz on the ongoing military operation in the troubled Fata region.
“We would like to invite the attention of minister for defence towards a recent statement of Sartaj Aziz, in which he said that Pakistan should not target militants who do not directly threaten the country’s security,” said the text of the attention notice submitted by PPP members in the NA secretariat on Thursday.
The statement given by the adviser to prime minister on foreign affairs, during an interview with the BBC, has stirred controversy in and outside the country. The Foreign Office did try to clarify the issue, a day after the story was published, however, the controversy still remains. It has come at a time when the army chief is on his maiden visit to the US.
Earlier, PPP had submitted a similar motion with the Senate secretariat. The PPP holds the offices of Leader of Opposition in both the houses of parliament — it is also the largest party in the Senate in terms of presence. It is expected that the issue will be taken up once the houses start their sessions.
According to the office of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly, Khursheed Shah, such irresponsible and alarming statement from government representative regarding the sensitive issue of terrorism is a matter of grave concern for the public. “The statement is a clear negation of Pakistan’s policy against terrorism and is an effort to malign the Zarb-e-Azb operation being successfully carried out against militants of all shades.
“Such unthoughtful statements give the world an opportunity to point fingers at Pakistan and doubt the credibility of the efforts done to uproot terrorists and terrorism from the country. It also undermines the resolve of Pakistanis who are willing to fight the militants and militancy in the country,” the text of the calling attention notice reads.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2014.
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