ISLAMABAD: The Senate will take up on Monday a resolution calling upon the government “to take effective steps for implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to counter terrorism in the country”.

The senators will also discuss a number of other national issues, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, corruption in government departments, gas crisis, aviation policy and non-implementation of the 18th Amendment.

It will be a private members’ day and the 15-point agenda issued for Monday has no legislative business on it.

Also read: Implementation of NAP is government's responsibility: PM

After a discussion on the resolution on NAP during the previous session, Chairman Raza Rabbani did not put the resolution to vote because of the absence of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, saying he did not want to give a one-sided decision on the issue. He had directed the interior minister to come to the house to brief members on the issue.

The government, which faced criticism during the debate from opposition parties for its alleged failure to implement NAP in letter and spirit, had opposed the resolution moved by Sitara Ayaz of the Awami National Party (ANP).

It will be interesting to watch as to who will come to the house on Monday to wind up the debate – Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan or his deputy Baleeghur Rehman.

Chaudhry Nisar had attended one of the Senate sittings during its previous session last month after a gap of 17 months. The minister had not been attending the sittings after the opposition’s protest against him for refusing to withdraw a wrong reply given by his ministry to the house during the Question Hour in October 2013.

During the debate on the resolution, opposition members had accused the government of going slow on the implementation of NAP and called for formation of a parliamentary committee for its monitoring.

The opposition had even asked the government to tell the house about the ownership of NAP that had been approved by all parliamentary parties in the aftermath of the massacre of schoolchildren at the Army Public School in Peshawar by the Taliban.

The members were of the view that the decision-making on NAP was being shifted from civilian and political leadership to the military.

The opposition members had also criticised the government for allegedly having failed to take action against members of banned outfits in the country, particularly in south Punjab.

Meanwhile, a resolution moved by retired Colonel Tahir Mashhadi of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement asking the government to take steps for early completion of the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway, is also on the agenda of Senate’s Monday sitting.

The resolution on the issue of lack of implementation of the 18th Constitution Amendment granting more provincial autonomy through devolution of a number of subjects from centre to provinces is also part of the agenda. The resolution stands in the name of Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2015

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