ISLAMABAD: Terming US President Barack Obama’s prediction of instability in Pakistan ‘a warning’, senators urged the government on Monday to make major changes in its approach towards key issues such as terrorism and foreign policy.

During a discussion on an adjournment motion moved by PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain on President Obama’s recent State of the Union address, in which he had stated that instability would continue for decades in Pakistan in terms of extremism and terrorism, a majority of senators held that the US itself was responsible for the complex security situation currently prevailing in the region.

However, Sartaj Aziz, the PM’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, claimed that the government had already overhauled its foreign policy over the past two years, agreeing with the senators that the US was responsible for the present chaos, particularly in the Muslim world.

Earlier, the house unanimously passed eight bills aimed at providing “inexpensive and speedy justice” to the people. The landmark bills had been suggested and approved by a committee of the whole house and will now be transmitted to the National Assembly for approval.

Upper house passes eight bills to ensure provision of inexpensive, speedy justice

These bills include Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Bill 2016; the Law Reforms (Amendment) Bill 2016; the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill 2016; the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2016; the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill 2016; the Anti-Terrorism Act (Amendment) Bill 2016; the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2016; and the Arbitration and Conciliation Bill 2016.

Obama’s speech

Taking part in the debate, retired Lt-Gen Salahuddin Tirmizi of the ruling PML-N said that President Obama must be thanked for this “wake-up call”.

He said the US president’s statement should be seen in the context of present situation. Fazlullah, the killer of Army Public School students, was sitting in Afghanistan and Islamabad was unable to demand his custody.

Mr Tirmizi criticised his own party’s policies and raised a number of questions.

“Have we implemented National Action Plan (NAP)? Are the religious seminaries not receiving funds? Are we still not collecting money for jihad? Are the banned outfits not functioning in the country under new names,” he asked.

The PML-N senator also criticised the government for not acknowledging the presence of the militant Islamic State group in the country.

PPP’s Farhatullah Babar deplored the policy of using non-state actors to attain foreign policy goals. He alleged that the government had adopted “a policy of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds”.

PPP’s Taj Haider was of the view that the US president had actually threatened Pakistan in his speech and criticised the US for supporting successive military regimes in Pakistan.

Mushahid Hussain said the US president’s speech was akin to “writing off this region”. He said the US was absolving itself of its responsibilities at a time when Pakistan after paying a heavy price was taking a lead role in the war on terror.

In an apparent reference to criticism of the US by members, BNP-M Senator Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini reminded the house that beggars could not be choosers.

Sartaj Aziz, however, said the government had restored peace and stability in the country and would adopt policies to safeguard its future.

In his closing speech, the adviser claimed that NAP and the Karachi operation were producing results and that Zarb-i-Azb was 90 per cent complete. The operation would now move towards madressah reforms, he said.

At one point during the debate, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani objected when Hafiz Hamdullah of the JUI-F used the word ‘secular’ to describe former military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq. The JUI-F senator, however, justified himself by saying that Gen Zia had not studied at a madressah.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2016