PM Shehbaz calls for national unity by setting aside differences to tackle the menace of terrorism


PESHAWAR, Feb 03 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for national unity by setting aside differences to tackle the menace of terrorism as the country recently witnessed one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital Peshawar amid new wave of terrorism sparked since November last.

The premier expressed this view while addressing a huddle of the Apex Committee at the KP Governor House days after a suicide bomber targeted worshippers in a mosque of the Peshawar Police Lines – one of the highly-fortified zones – killing over 100 people and injuring more than 200 others.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers, KP’s caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Punjab’s interim CM Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, and officials of intelligence agencies. The moot was called to consider steps to eradicate terrorism and upgrade the Counter-Terrorism Department and police in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack. 

Expressing solidarity with the families of the victims of the Jan 30 suicide blast in Peshawar, the premier said every stakeholder should play its role to eradicate the menace of terrorism. Shehbaz Sharif said political, social and religious leadership was united for eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country, adding: “We will continue to fight until eradication of terrorism in the country”.

Describing the Peshawar attack as the most horrific incident after the Army Public School Peshawar tragedy, PM Shehbaz Sharif raised concerns over the resurgence of terrorism as it had been weeded out a few years back. He said several terror incidents were reported in the last few months in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The whole nation is in shock,” he remarked.

The premier also called into question the use of Rs417 billion funding provided to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the last 10 years under the National Finance Commission Award to maintain security. He said the KP, where the PTI has been ruling since 2013, could have established a forensic lab and the Safe City Project. “There had been peace in the province if the KP government would have spent even half of the provided funds,” he commented.

The premier admitted security lapse in the Peshawar incident but, at the same time, dispelled rumours that the mosque was targeted in a drone attack. He rejected such allegation as baseless and asked people to avoid such an inappropriate behaviour.

He asked the nation to put up a united front against terrorism by setting aside the differences, adding that all constitutional institutions should play a role to bring unity in the country. The premier vowed to provide assistance to the northwestern province to boost strength against terrorism. He said he had convened an All Parties Conference (APC) on February 7 to discuss ways to overcome the current national challenges. He mentioned that invitation had also been extended to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to attend the conference.

In an indirect criticism of the PTI, he said the terrorists were allowed to settle here but they (PTI leaders) were not ready to work with the government for the sake of the country’s future.

In the key huddle, the premier also touched on the topic of the government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation which is visiting Pakistan for the ninth review of a $7 billion loan programme. Shehbaz Sharif revealed that the delegation of the global lender was giving a tough time to Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and his team as its conditions are beyond the imagination.

Saying Pakistan was facing tough economic challenges, he said there was no other option except implementing the conditions of the IMF to revive the loan programme. “Our economic challenge at this moment is unimaginable. The conditions we have to fulfill [to complete the IMF review] are beyond imagination,” he said without elaborating. However, the country had no choice but to implement the conditions, PM Shehbaz acknowledged.

On the occasion, PM Shehbaz Sharif also announced compensation for the victims of the Peshawar blast. He announced Rs2 million compensation for each family of the martyred and Rs500,000 for each injured person.

As he began his speech, he called for unity across the political spectrum and expressed frustration at the criticism leveled against the federal government from opposition parties in the wake of terrorism.

“Over 80 people who were praying at the mosque were subjected to martyrdom barbarically,” he said. “We are here to express sympathies with their families and this is the purpose of the meeting.

“This [act of] terrorism managed to breach the security check post and reach the mosque. We should not feel hesitant in admitting the facts.”

He said it was being asked how terrorism — which had been eradicated a few years ago — let this happen. However, he hit back at the “conspiracy theories” that spread in the wake of the attack.

“In the wake of this incident, undue criticism was seen on social media. This is certainly condemnable. The occurrence of the incident due to security lapses will be probed. But saying this was a drone attack and similar related accusations were uncalled for in this tragic time.”

He said he was certain that the entire Pakistani nation was thinking about how the menace would be tackled in future. “What measures will be taken to stop this terror wave? It is the need of the hour that provinces and the Centre along with the leaderships of political parties take ownership and shun their differences, be they political or related to any religious reasons. “We should unite and tackle this.”

He said this was the “moment which makes or breaks a nation”. He vowed the country would “collectively” overcome this challenge. “All resources will be mobilised. This meeting reaffirms our aim to sit together until this menace is eradicated.”

The prime minister said in the past years, operations Zarb-i-Azb and Raddul Fasaad “broke the back of terrorism” and sacrifices were rendered in its wake. “Our friends and foes give testimony to this,” he added.

“Eradicating terrorism which had spread across four provinces was not easy. Many people lost their lives confronting terror. Our police and armed forces gave huge sacrifices. Our citizens were on the frontline.”

He said history would always remember the martyrs and their sacrifices. “And such sacrifices cannot be forgotten.”

However, he called for avoiding “criticism for the sake of criticism”. “We have to talk about [taking] responsibility.”

He said following terrorist acts in Bannu, Nowshera and Peshawar, the Centre was at the receiving end of criticism for “not supporting us” and “there is a dearth of resources”.

PM Shehbaz said: “I want to tell you that Rs417 billion were given [to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2010] and I want to give credit to the then federal government of the PPP and leadership of the four provinces that they achieved the NFC award.”

He said Rs417bn were given to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in these 13 years “but where did this money go”.

“We had formed CTD [in Punjab] for Rs2.5bn and similar forces should have been formed here. We built Safe City for Rs14bn. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had Rs417bn, they should have built safe city centres and satellite forensic labs. Nobody would have questioned them.”

He vowed that despite the economic challenges to the country, his government was with the province. “The terms that we have to meet with the IMF are beyond imagination. Despite all these problems, the Centre is with you. We will strengthen CTD to the best of our abilities; we are here to serve you.”

He again returned to questioning how the Rs417bn was spent and said if “one-fourth of the amount was spent on the purpose (counter-terrorism) then people would be sleeping soundly”.

He said: “If only this would have happened, but it did not. We now have to move. Terrorists have no religion, they attack humanity. And there could nothing worse than this.”

He again called for unity. “We have to avoid differences and become one wall [against terrorism]. The political leadership has to take ownership. All constitutional institutions have to unite people and if we don’t do this, our purpose won’t be fulfilled.”

He said he also invited religious leaders on Thursday for the meeting and the All Parties Conference (APC) on Feb 7. “I asked all of them despite differences — if there are any. If we do not act now, history will not forgive us.”

“Those who spread cruelty inside Pakistan; you are taking steps to settle them [here], but to improve the country’s fate, you are not ready to shake hands with your own people. But these double standards will not work.”

Without naming the PTI, the prime minister lamented that militants were “brought here to be settled” but they were not willing to work together for the country’s future.

“According to my information, terrorists have not occupied any area. They do not have an inch in their control. They roam about here and there. But there is no place in their possession. If this is the instance, this is welcoming. But who brought them here? This is the question that the nation is looking for the answer to.”

The premier said that Pakistan was carved out of India to become a leading nation, adding that if they do not act against terrorism now then, history will not forgive them.

“You [PTI] were ready to resettle who were shedding blood but not ready to shake hands for the sake of the nation. The double standard will not work now,” said PM Shehbaz.

The premier also confirmed that he had extended an invitation to his predecessor Imran Khan for an all parties’ conference.

“I have also invited the leader of a political party who was not willing to shake hands with me. We now have to raise above personal likes and dislikes,” said the premier.