ISLAMABAD: Speakers belonging to most of the mainstream political parties at a multi-party conference (APC) on Tuesday not only criticised the government but also the military leadership for the continuing terror activities in the country.

Almost all the speakers, except Shah Mehmood Qureshi of the PTI, also expressed pessimism over the outcome of the operation Raddul Fasaad.

However, Mr Qureshi said Raddul Fasaad was the consolidation of the gains made during the operation Zarb-i-Azb. The conference, ‘United against terrorism’ was hosted by Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM).

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who has usually been a staunch supporter of army operations, said society was suffering due to the unending terrorism.

“I see our society in tatters due to this terrorism. People belonging to different schools of thought lived around my house in Rawalpindi and nobody ever disregarded anyone else. But now people are afraid of each other.”

He criticised the rulers and those in power saying the general public were innocent and wanted results.

“I do not see anything or do not know what to say; first Gen Kiyani came and launched Rah-i-Nijat, later Gen Raheel initiated Zarb-i-Azb and now the new chief has launched Raddul Fasaad,” Mr Rashid added.

Most of the speakers also criticised the successive governments for toeing the US line that resulted in the establishment of extremist and militant groups in the country.

“All such policies, including the Afghan relations, jehad policy or the cold war strategy were actually anti-democratic,” said Allama Nasir Abbas, a leader of MWM.

“These polices changed the balance of power and increased extremism in Pakistan.”

He said the ‘hate culture’, freedom of movement for militants and political corruption were promoted as a national policy. The worst part of this destabilising effect is pessimism, which has started penetrating into the society.

“Under all these policies, the narrative of Pakistan - the vision of Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal - has been lost,” he said. “We do not want extremism, sectarianism or hatred. Everybody wants a progressive and Muslim society based on the Constitution.”

The speakers said extremists were destroying the culture of love in the society by bombing the shrines of Sufi saints while the key outcome of the National Action Plan (NAP) had been arrests of hundreds of clerics.

Former Senate chairman Nayyer Bukhari, who is also the general secretary of the PPP, said parliament granted powers to the government and the military courts were established on the condition that the civil courts would be strengthened and empowered within two years.

“But after two years where do we stand now? This is because the government is standing on a fake mandate granted by ROs.”

Mr Bukhari said what the government had done against across the border attacks. “Nothing and it will continue dragging on.”

Senator Tanvirul Haq Thanvi of the MQM criticised the Afghan jehad and the policy to tolerate Taliban. He said terrorism would never end as long as the facilitators of terrorists were not apprehended.

Others who also spoke included Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan leader Sahibzada Abulkhair, Jamaat-i-Islami naib emir Mian Aslam, Pakistan Awami Tehreek leader Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, ANP’s Afrasiab Khattak and representatives of the Seraiki Democratic Party.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2017