Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Peace talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s law and order situation were the hot topics of discussion during Thursday’s provincial assembly session.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) parliamentary leader, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, opened the debate and questioned whether the centre has taken the provincial government onboard with regards to peace talks.
Referring to the security situation, he pointed the rising number of extortion cases that were forcing traders to leave the province.
Rehman severely criticised the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, saying it went against people’s fundamental rights.
“The situation in Kulachi area of DI Khan is critical,” he said, adding if the security situation was not addressed immediately, police may not be able to intervene in the future.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWM) lawmaker, Sikandar Sherpao, said K-P’s polio eradication campaign and kidnapping incidents, such as Ajmal Khan’s 2010 case should be brought up during talks with the Taliban. Ajmal Khan was the vice-chancellor of Islamia College University and was kidnapped by militants in 2010.
Information Minister Shah Farman pointed to the income disparity amongst people as a major factor in the deteriorating security environment, saying that a small portion of society possesses a large portion of K-P’s wealth, while most others have nothing.
Farman’s remarks infuriated JUI-F lawmaker, Mufti Syed Janan, who criticised the minister for making what he believed were ridiculous statements.
Later, Speaker Asad Qaiser directed the government to arrange a security briefing for opposition parties.
Earlier, opposition leaders had said the security environment across the province was critical, asking the opposition be brought up to speed about law and order and what the government is doing to address it.
At the beginning of the session, members of PTI’s ‘forward bloc’ entered the assembly as a cohesive group led by Deputy Speaker Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi.
Wearing black waistcoats with pockets adorned with flowers, the grand entrance of disgruntled MPAs coincided with desk thumping.
The session was adjourned till 2pm on Thursday.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2014.
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