JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Senators on Friday raised alarms over the security situation in the country with special reference to Balochistan.
Senator Kamran Murtaza expressed concern over the recent killings and questioned national priorities, contrasting the security situation in the province with the celebrations in Punjab.
Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry responded that terrorists were trying to disrupt normal life in Pakistan and argued that allowing daily life and cultural activities to continue was itself a response to extremism. He said that Punjabis loved Balochistan no less than their own province.
Maulana Abdul Wasey later called for unity between Baloch and Pashtun communities in the province, while Senator Aimal Wali Khan condemned terrorism and demanded a joint meeting of Parliament to address the security situation.
Basant celebrations in Punjab also drew sharp remarks. Rana Sanaullah said that Basant was a festival that had been announced in advance and warned against portraying it as an uncontrolled “party”.
Noting that Basant predates Islam, Senator Dinesh Kumar applauded Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s declaration to promote the Punjabi language, framing the festival as a cultural tradition rather than a political statement.
Talal reiterated that terrorism thrived on disruption and fear, adding that maintaining normalcy was part of countering extremist goals.
The treatment and legal rights of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan again came up for debate in the Senate, where lawmakers pressed the government to allow parliamentary access to the former prime minister in Adiala jail.
Opposition Leader Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas raised the issue on the floor of Parliament, saying Imran Khan was “a human being and a prisoner” who he claimed was deprived of due legal rights and adequate medical care.
He called for a four-man parliamentary delegation, with equal representation from the Treasury and the opposition, to be formed to be allowed to meet him in custody.
Echoing the concern, Senator Azam Swati said there were serious issues related to the PTI founder’s health and alleged that the judicial system in the country had collapsed.
Rana Sanaullah replied that Imran was made available in accordance with the law and stressed the need to take the discussion forward in a more constructive manner.
Later, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis submitted a written response detailing overseas employment from Balochistan over the past five years, stating that 29,813 people had gone abroad during this period.
According to official figures, 12,770 went to Saudi Arabia, 8,141 to the UAE, 3,806 to Qatar and 3,225 to Oman, while others went to Bahrain, Japan, China, the UK, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the US and Italy.
During the session, the opposition benches were initially empty and opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas’s absence was formally noted before he later entered the House.
