Lawmakers from across parties expressed concern over militancy and politics during a heated NA session
ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly continued the debate on the security situation in Balochistan on Tuesday, with lawmakers across party lines questioning counter-terrorism responses, government failures and policy directions, while unanimously passing resolutions condemning terrorism and expressing solidarity with the armed forces and victims.
Opening the debate, JUI-F MNA Alia Kamran raised questions about official claims related to recent security operations, asking why responses to attacks were delayed and what happened to the remaining terrorists if 177 had been killed. Emphasizing that her party did not support terrorism in any form, she called for an inquiry into the factors pushing women in Balochistan towards suicide attacks and urged the state to protect the province’s youth by addressing the root causes of militancy.
MQM-P MNA Sofia Saeed said there should be no leniency for terrorists or for those who sympathize with them, adding that national unity against terrorism required an effective local government system.
Highlighting socio-economic grievances, JUI-F MNA Usman Badini said hostile forces had filled the void created by the state’s failure to provide the youth of Balochistan with basic rights and opportunities. He questioned disparities in electricity supply, access to scholarships under CPEC and the state’s response to coordinated attacks across multiple districts. He said denial of rights would provoke reaction and pointed to the lack of basic infrastructure, including fuel facilities, in large parts of the province.
The debate intensified when opposition MNA and former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser said that terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa could not be solved through condemnation alone. He argued that when the state failed to act responsibly and ignored public complaints, alienation followed.
Citing political developments, he questioned the message sent by the continued imprisonment of what he described as the country’s most popular leader, saying public trust in institutions, including the judiciary, was eroding.
Qaiser also pointed to what he called political double standards, questioned foreign policy priorities and called for dialogue with neighboring countries, including Afghanistan. He said the opposition supported the National Action Plan but demanded inclusion and confidence building in the security policy.
Read: Terror spike trigger calls for troop surge in Balochistan
MNA Ijazul Haq, speaking later, questioned the effectiveness of measures against oil smuggling and asked how fuel continued to travel from border regions to major cities despite the presence of security forces. He alleged foreign involvement in Balochistan, raised concerns over the supply of weapons to terrorists and called for accountability over the use of development funds and the province’s share under the NFC award.
Recalling past insurgencies, Haq referred to military operations and reconciliation efforts in previous decades, arguing that inclusive policies and blanket amnesties had previously resulted in prolonged peace. He urged the formation of a national advisory committee to deal with the crisis and urged the government to review its strategy.
After the debate, the Parliament unanimously passed a resolution condemning the recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan, describing them as inhumane crimes against innocent civilians, including women and children. The resolution commended the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, the Balochistan government and the civil administration for their response, expressed solidarity with the families of the martyrs and the injured and called for zero tolerance and decisive action against terrorist networks.
The resolution stated that available evidence in several incidents pointed to external sponsorship, raised concerns about India’s alleged role, and called for a coordinated national response integrating political, diplomatic, military, intelligence and legal measures. It emphasized that the fight against terrorism required cross-party unity and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to public safety and national security.
Separately, the assembly also unanimously passed a resolution on Kashmir Solidarity Day, affirming Jammu and Kashmir as an international dispute to be resolved in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. The House condemned human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, rejected India’s unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, welcomed the recent debates in the British Parliament on the issue and called on the international community to play an active role in resolving the dispute.
