ISLAMABAD, March 8: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Monday in the Senate expressed his concern over the recent acts of violence in Quetta and Karachi, admitting that there had been a "security lapse". However, he assured the Senate that strict steps would be taken to avert such happenings in future.
Wrapping up an upper house debate on President Pervez Musharraf's Jan 17 address to parliament, he said the government was aware of its responsibilities and trying to ensure safety of the people and their property.
"I admit it openly that the government has not come up to the expectations of the people," Mr Jamali said, adding: "But no one should doubt our intentions."
About three incidents of violence in Quetta within a year, the premier said he could see grief on the faces of the people of his home province. He also condemned the murder of Sindh assembly member Abdullah Murad Baloch of the PPP and recalled the attempts on the life of President Musharraf.
Referring to the still unexplained killings of two girls in Karachi last month, he posed a question: "What was the fault of the two minor girls...?" "We have taken steps and we will make sure such incidents are not repeated," he said.
"No one wants to see bloodbath in the country and wherever such an incident occurs, we all have to collectively look into it for a remedy," the prime minister said.
Reacting to opposition's demand for the resignation of some ministers or the prime minister after these incidents, Mr Jamali said he had resigned three times in the past, as minister, as parliament member and as chief minister. "Those who want to resign, they do it quietly and go away without raising any hue and cry," he remarked without elaborating.
Referring to military operation outside Wana to hunt Al Qaeda militants and their harbourers, he said extremism was unacceptable and the government would make every effort to eliminate it.
He complimented the treasury benches for giving what he called a patient hearing to opposition members' criticism during the debate on the president's address, but said the approach of critics should be positive.
The premier called for developing a consensus among parliamentarians on national issues. He said those opposing the passage of the 17th Amendment should know that the Constitution had been amended in the past too.
