QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly unanimously adopted two separate resolutions condemning the suicide attack on Frontier Corps personnel near the Quetta district courts and the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, urging the government to take concrete steps against terrorists.

The session was held with Speaker Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani in the chair here on Tuesday evening.

Awami National Party’s parliamentary leader Eng Zamarak Khan Piralizai moved an adjournment motion that states the house expressed condolence with the teachers and students who were killed in the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University.

“We are arguing over the Orange Metro Train and the China-Pak Economic Corridor while terrorists have been killing innocent teachers and students. We will have to ensure implementation of the National Action Plan and devise a foolproof security plan for educational institutions,” he said.

Another resolution was jointly tabled by health minister Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch, advisor to chief minister on information, Sardar Raza Muhammad Baraich, and MPAs Dr Ruqayya Saeed Hashmi and Dr Shama Ishaq. It reads that FC personnel and innocent citizens, including women and children, were martyred in a suicide attack near Liaquat Park, Quetta, on Feb 6. “The house expresses sorrow and grief over their martyrdom and strongly condemns this timid terrorist act,” the resolution said.

It said that the house paid tribute to police personnel for their sacrifices and struggle to curb terrorism, adding that it reposed its trust in the civil and military leadership which has devised joint and consensual policies to root out terrorism.

Legislators condemn attacks on Charsadda university and FC personnel, call for beefing up security at educational institutions

Speaking on the resolution, Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch said that terrorists have been killing innocent people, in reaction to Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

JUI-F MPA Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran said that terrorists had been killing our children at educational institutions. His words were endorsed by several other lawmakers. They demanded the home minister to give an in-camera briefing to the parliamentarians on the law and situation and the government’s plans to control terrorism.

Shahida Rauf said: “The political leadership should devise a comprehensive policy to root out terrorism”. She demanded that the government’s policy on terrorism should be clear and the parliamentarians should be kept informed.

Speaker Durrani ruled that the home minister should brief the parliamentarians on Feb 12 before the start of the assembly session.

Opposition leader Maulana Abdul Wasey tabled an adjournment motion which said that a spate of terrorism had been continuing in the province for the last two months and had claimed the lives of several innocent people.

He said that the government was not taking serious steps to curb terrorism. He demanded to dedicate two days for debate on the motion. The speaker set Feb 12 for debate.

Supporting the adjournment motion, home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said that the entire nation was in a state of war against terrorism.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2016