March 02, 2007	Friday	Safar 12, 1428

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PESHAWAR, March 1: Lawmakers from the treasury benches as well as from the opposition on Thursday blamed policies pursued by Washington and Islamabad for the recent spate of suicide bombings and other acts of terrorism recently taking place in different parts of the NWFP, Pata and Fata.

Resuming the debate on the killing of senior police officials and innocent people in recent suicide bombings and other acts of terrorism, Anwar Kamal Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) said that US policies were a major source of lawlessness, uncertainty and terrorism in this part of the world.

He also came hard on the armed forces of Pakistan and said they had lost the trust and love of the people after they had turned their guns against their own people in Waziristan, Balochistan, Bajaur Agency and other parts of the country.

He said the law and order situation in the country was precarious and even the prime minister, corps commanders and army convoys were not safe. He said he was unable to understand why the country’s rulers were executing the policies of the United States and killing their own people.

“If the protection of one’s religion and traditions are a crime, then we would commit it repeatedly. If tribal people are Al Qaeda’s men because of their opposition to the US aggression, then we too are Al Qaeda’s men,” Mr Khan declared.

He said the US leaders had portrayed the Afghans as freedom fighters and Mujahideen when they had fought against the Soviet forces, but now the same freedom fighters and Mujahideen, because of their opposition to the US aggression of their country, were being called terrorists.

He condemned suicide bombings in different parts of the country and said now Bannu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar were on the hit list of terrorists.

He said he was ready to support the provincial government in its efforts against terrorism, but first of all the Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal government should issue a decree against suicide bombings and declare these acts un-Islamic.

Forest Minister Shah Raz Khan said Afghan Mujahideen had liberated their country from the Soviet forces and waged a heroic struggle for independence but unfortunately a large number of people, especially the generals of the army, used the Afghan war just for minting money.

He harshly criticized the military top brass for toeing the US agenda in the region, declaring: “The corps commanders have made the entire country hostage and they are amassing wealth. The prime minister and other ministers of the federal government are nothing more than puppets. The generals are enjoying the real power.”

Food Minister Fazal Rabbani said though the US helicopters had bombed a Bajaur seminary, the military rulers had taken the responsibility to save the US leadership from embarrassment.

Defending the MMA’s decision of giving support to Gen Pervez Musharraf on the 17th Amendment, he said the move was aimed at forcing the general to shed his uniform as the general had pledged to do this, but Gen Musharraf did not honour his commitment.

Saeed Ahmed Khan of the PML defended policies of Gen Musharraf and said the Jamaat-i-Islami, which had a major presence in the Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s hand-picked Majlis-i-Shoora, had never asked Gen Zia to shed his uniform.

He lamented that the House was supposed to discuss acts to terrorism and suicide bombings in the NWFP, but the ministers had devoted most of their time discussing the lawlessness in Afghanistan. He said if Gen Musharraf was a bad guy, then why the MMA had supported him on 17th Amendment.

Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani of the PML said that the MMA was the A-team of Gen Musharraf, because it had always extended support to him and bailed him out on several occasions.

He said suicide bombers were a product of fanaticism and extremism.

Sikandar Sherpo said that no religion in the world allowed suicide bombings and so suicide bombers, through their inhuman acts of terrorism, had only killed innocent people across the country. He said it had painted a negative picture of Pukhtuns and maligned Islam abroad. He underlined the need for collective efforts to check this scourge.

Israrullah Khan Gandpur said so for 114 tribal notables had been killed in Fata but the government had done nothing to provide security to these people.

Others who spoke on the issue were Yasmin Khalid, Qari Abdullah and Dr Saleem Khan.

Eralier, the House unanimously adopted nine resolutions tabled by Nadir Shah, Zobaida Khatoon, Naeema Akhtar, Kalb-i-Hassan, Qari Abdullah Bangash, Jamshed Khan and Shagufta Raz on various issues.

Later, Speaker Bakhat Jehan Khan adjourned the House till Friday.