ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that the parliament and the entire leadership of the country firmly standing behind national action plan against terrorism and its implementation has begun.
Winding up debate on Peshawar terrorist incident in the Senate on Wednesday he said sub committees formed to prepare recommendations on twenty points of the national action plan have started submitting their reports and these are being implemented.
The Prime Minister said he is personally reviewing the progress on daily basis.
The Prime Minister said he is personally reviewing the progress on daily basis.
Mian Nawaz Sharif said priority is being given to devise a system to bring terrorists to justice. For this purpose the national political and military leadership in its meting on 24th of this month unanimously decided to constitute special courts headed by military officers where cases of only terrorist incidents would be tried. There would also be time limited for these special courts.
The Prime Minister said a draft of legal and constitutional amendments has been prepared an expressed the confidence that the parliament would approve them with a view to eliminating the menace of terrorism.
About reservations expressed by PPP’s Mian Raza Rabbani regarding possible misuse of these courts, the Prime Minister said we are passing through an extra-ordinary situation demanding extra-ordinary measures. He pointed out that cases of serious crimes are pending with normal courts for twenty to thirty years.
The Prime Minister said it has been decided that no armed group would be allowed to operate in Pakistan and impose their ideologies on the nation. Similarly banned organizations would not be allowed to operate under any other name in any circumstances.
Mian Nawaz Sharif emphasized that freedom of media and democracy are inter-twined but the national leadership decided that glorification of terrorism would not be allowed.
The Prime Minister said decisions about how to address the menace of terrorism are not being made by an individual but the national leadership and the parliament. He said the proposed measures are aimed at securing life of the people and everything is being done within the ambit of the constitution.
He expressed the confidence that the matchless demonstration of solidarity witnessed on 16th of December would be maintained as any split would damage the cause to wipe out terrorism. He said terrorism has become a bleeding wound and it is time to root it out as it has affected every sphere of life and over fifty thousand Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives in the war against terror. He said the national leadership decided with unanimity that the state should act with full force to eliminate terrorism.
The Prime Minister said how he can deviate from law and the constitution when he struggled for freedom of judiciary. He however said it is question of survival of the nation and safety of our future generations. He said if we did not act now, then the situation would aggravate and would become difficult to handle.
He said no doubt every citizen has fundamental rights but innocent children too have rights including the right of education. He said we cannot allow terrorists to trample rights of innocent children or citizens.
He said no doubt every citizen has fundamental rights but innocent children too have rights including the right of education. He said we cannot allow terrorists to trample rights of innocent children or citizens.
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the entire nation is solidly behind the national action plan and the goal of elimination of terrorism is not far off. He however said the attention of the nation must remain focused on this goal and it should not go on the back burner.
Nawaz Sharif thanked national political and military leadership for their contribution to the national action plan. In this connection he specifically referred to the work done by the parliamentary committee assigned with the task of formulating recommendations for the national action plan within the stipulated time frame of one week. He also spoke high of leader of the Opposition in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan for his input in drafting of proposed amendments.
Earlier Senate resumed its session with Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari in the chair. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed introduced the bill to amend “The Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010” in the House.
The chair referred the bill to the Standing Committee concerned for examination and report.
Responding to points of order Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that electricity price was reduced by 2.92 rupees due to falling prices of petroleum products and some management measures.
He said out of this 2.32 rupees have been passed to the consumers while sixty paisa has been adjusted.
About increase in levy of GST on POL products by five percent, he said there was an import duty loss of seventy billion rupees due to reduction in prices of oil in the international market. He said the loss is apprehended to reach 175 billion rupees if we take into account the loss of taxes at sale points. He said five percent increase in GST has been made to compensate that loss.
Earlier, Mian Raza Rabbani, Zahid Khan and Kamil Ali Agha criticized increase in GST rates for POL products and less than due relief passed on to electricity consumers.
The Senate resumed discussion on the motion regarding attack by terrorists on Army Public School Peshawar.
Taking part in the debate, Suriya Amiruddin of PPP said Islam exhorts its followers to acquire knowledge about terrorists are targeting schools and students. She said the dastardly act has brought bad name to Pakistan in the comity of nations. She appealed to the nation to get united to fight the menace of terrorism for our secure future.
Syed Zafar Ali Shah of PML (N) said terrorists are sparing no institution and their targeting of Peshawar school united the entire nation. He said the Prime Minister immediately invited the national leadership to sit together and find answer to the situation. He however was of the view that military officers should not preside over special courts as they are not trained for the purpose.
Hafiz Hamdullah of JUI (F) regretted that the federal government issued an alert to the provincial authority about possible attack on Army Public School in August but no measures were taken to prevent the tragedy. He said those guilty of dereliction of duties should be held accountable.
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