Pakistan Peoples Party President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday suggested that the government introduce the second phase of the National Action Plan (NAP) plan to address the evolving threat of terrorism.

“We approved the nap, fought for terrorism in all four provinces and declared that we had broken the terrorists’ back,” said the PPP chairman while talking on the floor of the National Assembly.

Previously, the National Assembly’s speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday suspended the house’s routine business and began a debate on the recent terrorist attack on Jaffar Express. The proposal to suspend the agenda was moved by the Federal Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, who was approved by Parliament.

The National Assembly also offered Fateha to souls from the four security staff Martyred and others during the attack on Jaffar Express.

Bilalwal said, “Today we pass through an even more dangerous phase than before. Unlike in the past, we lack the unity and the political consensus that made us successful.”

“Pakistans and its oppressed people’s enemies take advantage of our missing unity,” he added

With reference to the recent attacks, Bilawal said, “These terrorists have no ideology. Their only goal is to destabilize Pakistan and target innocent citizens.”

The PPP chairman called for national unity and political consensus to effectively fight terrorism in the country.

He said Pakistan paid a heavy award in his fight against terrorism with victims of each segment of society, political leadership, ordinary citizens, military officers and police staff.

“There is no part of society that has not sacrificed in this fight,” he said. He reminded the house of the unit demonstrated by the nation in the wake of the 2014 Army Public School (ApS) Peshawar tragedy. “Despite our political differences, whether it was the policy of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) or other parties, we set aside our agendas to prioritize national interest,” he said.

He strongly condemned the recent terrorist attacks, especially in Balochistan, claiming the perpetrators were trying to destabilize Pakistan and derail its development.

“These terrorists who claim to fight for rights and independence actually hinder the country’s development and play in the hands of international forces bent to destruction,” he said.

Bilawal questioned the motives behind attacks on innocent civilians with reference to the recent tragedy involved passengers at Jaffar Express.

Bilawal urged all political parties to set aside their differences and suggested a single-point agenda to defeat terrorism. He emphasized the need for cooperation between all stakeholders and offers his party’s cooperation.

“If there are shortcomings in our provincial governments or leadership, tell us that we are ready to go together and fight this threat together,” he added.

“We did it before when Nawaz Sharif was prime minister and we can do it again under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.”

Bilawal called for revision of the National Action Plan (NAP). “There is no reason why Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif cannot reinitate a comprehensive national action plan that we did in the past,” he said.

“Just meetings are not enough. We need decisive action, unity and consensus-as we demonstrated when PPP was in power.”

When the session started, the government and the opposition were bargaining over the train tragedy in Balochistan, where both sides of the time accused each other of the terrorist attack that resulted in over two dozen deaths.

In a rare show of unity, however, the National Assembly unanimously adopted a decision that condemns the hijacking of Jaffer Express.

By taking the floor, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif criticized Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) False tales of Jaffar Express terror attacked the party’s social media platforms to incorrectly represent the tragic incident and undermine national unity. The Minister expressed deep grief over the loss of innocent life in the attack and emphasized that such tragedies cause enormous grief, which is further worsened by the spread of wrong information.

“The whole nation witnessed how PTI’s social media interpreted the incident,” Khawaja Asif said. “Instead of recognizing the courage and victims of our armed forces, they promoted a false tale and claimed that the terrorists themselves released the hostages.” He claimed that this misleading account was circulated by verified PTI associated accounts, especially those driven by supporters living abroad. Without naming individuals, Khawaja Asif criticized those who, according to him, fled the country, but continued to malignant national institutions from abroad.

Asif also highlighted the irony of PTI leaders, many of whom, he claimed, were products from previous fighting regimes.

“Some of those who pointed fingers today were the recipients of three martial arts laws in our history,” he added. “Their ancestors abolished the constitution and deprived the nation of its democratic rights.”

Asif admitted that his party had supported a military regime in the past. “I have apologized several times in this particular house and I do it again today. But at least we have the decency to recognize our past mistakes,” he said.

He emphasized the need for political leaders to collectively recognize and learn from historical mistakes for the nation to move forward.

PTI MNA Asad Qaiser condemned the train tragedy, adding that the Minister of Defense equalized accusations of PTI instead of taking the house in confidence.

In a tit-for-tattoo at Asif, the former speaker said he is possessed by PTI when he stated PTI during his speech more than Balochistan. Had there been a little shame in him, he would have withdrawn from his position, Qaiser said. As he condemns the incident with hijacking the train, the PTI leader asked how the country will run if they are limited in prisons with public mandate and those with fake mandate sit in the house. The biggest question about the country is security and it all happens because of the incompetence of Asif, the PTI leader said.

MNM MNA DR FAROOQ SATTAR said there is a need to revise the national action plan. He called on the Prime Minister to summon APC on the Jaffar Express tragedy to determine the national agenda. He asked the political parties to develop a strategy with agreement to deal with the threat of terrorism.