Governance matters: ISPR statement causes stir in the house
PkMAP chief calls it against the ‘spirit of Constitution’ while PPP asks govt to take the hint
Opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The top military commanders’ concerns over lack of ‘governance initiatives’ to complement counterterrorism operations reverberated in the lower house of parliament on Wednesday.
Most lawmakers urged the government to improve governance and ensure implementation of the national counterterrorism plan. But a Pashtun nationalist leader claimed the ISPR statement issued at the end of the corps commanders’ conference on Tuesday was against the ‘spirit of the Constitution’.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah urged the government to take the hint and improve its performance. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should fix his cabinet.”
Shafqat Mahmood of the PTI said the ISPR statement had pointed out the government’s ‘incompetence’ and ‘lack of interest’ to effectively deal with terrorism. “It has been 11 months since the National Action Plan (NAP) was adopted, but the government has still done nothing to improve courts, police and the prosecution system.”
He said the statement also highlighted the government’s ‘indifference’ to implementing NAP. “This should be worrisome to all the parliamentarians.”
Mahmood demanded the government brief parliament on NAP’s implementation. “The ISPR statement clearly indicates that either there is a civil-military disconnect or the government is simply doing nothing to counter terrorism and extremism.”
He also asked the government to contemplate as to why the military had to go public through the statement.
In support of his colleague’s views, PTI MNA Arif Alvi said if the government failed to initiate cogent measures to counter terrorism and extremism, all the progress achieved so far could go down the drain.
While the PTI lawmakers took the government to task, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai labelled the ISPR statement ‘against the spirit of the Constitution’.
Referring to the prime minister and the army chief, he said: “If the two Sharifs are on the same page, we shall support them unconditionally; but if there are any differences between them, we shall support the civilian Sharif.”
Amendment to army act
The house passed The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2015 to protect the witnesses, the president, members of the court, the defending officers, the prosecutors and other people relevant to the court proceedings.
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal had tabled the bill, which the house passed with a majority vote.
The convening authority or the court constituted under this act may take measures such as in-camera sittings and not publishing the names of court officials to protect all the people relevant to the court proceedings.
The assembly session was prorogued due to the second phase of the local government elections in Punjab. The next sitting will be convened after November 19, said an official.
Earlier, opposition leader Shah had pointed out a lack of quorum. “There is only one minister present. The government still has not started taking parliament seriously.”
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had also suspended proceedings for 10 minutes to protest against the absence of ministers.
During the break, the speaker banished junior officers of federal ministries from the assembly galleries and called the secretaries of the interior and finance ministries.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2015.
The top military commanders’ concerns over lack of ‘governance initiatives’ to complement counterterrorism operations reverberated in the lower house of parliament on Wednesday.
Most lawmakers urged the government to improve governance and ensure implementation of the national counterterrorism plan. But a Pashtun nationalist leader claimed the ISPR statement issued at the end of the corps commanders’ conference on Tuesday was against the ‘spirit of the Constitution’.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah urged the government to take the hint and improve its performance. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should fix his cabinet.”
Shafqat Mahmood of the PTI said the ISPR statement had pointed out the government’s ‘incompetence’ and ‘lack of interest’ to effectively deal with terrorism. “It has been 11 months since the National Action Plan (NAP) was adopted, but the government has still done nothing to improve courts, police and the prosecution system.”
He said the statement also highlighted the government’s ‘indifference’ to implementing NAP. “This should be worrisome to all the parliamentarians.”
Mahmood demanded the government brief parliament on NAP’s implementation. “The ISPR statement clearly indicates that either there is a civil-military disconnect or the government is simply doing nothing to counter terrorism and extremism.”
He also asked the government to contemplate as to why the military had to go public through the statement.
In support of his colleague’s views, PTI MNA Arif Alvi said if the government failed to initiate cogent measures to counter terrorism and extremism, all the progress achieved so far could go down the drain.
While the PTI lawmakers took the government to task, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai labelled the ISPR statement ‘against the spirit of the Constitution’.
Referring to the prime minister and the army chief, he said: “If the two Sharifs are on the same page, we shall support them unconditionally; but if there are any differences between them, we shall support the civilian Sharif.”
Amendment to army act
The house passed The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2015 to protect the witnesses, the president, members of the court, the defending officers, the prosecutors and other people relevant to the court proceedings.
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal had tabled the bill, which the house passed with a majority vote.
The convening authority or the court constituted under this act may take measures such as in-camera sittings and not publishing the names of court officials to protect all the people relevant to the court proceedings.
The assembly session was prorogued due to the second phase of the local government elections in Punjab. The next sitting will be convened after November 19, said an official.
Earlier, opposition leader Shah had pointed out a lack of quorum. “There is only one minister present. The government still has not started taking parliament seriously.”
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had also suspended proceedings for 10 minutes to protest against the absence of ministers.
During the break, the speaker banished junior officers of federal ministries from the assembly galleries and called the secretaries of the interior and finance ministries.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2015.