ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the National Assembly on Monday it was no time to talk to militants he called beasts and said the ongoing military operation in South Waziristan would be conclusive, before the house was prorogued without doing some important legislation on its agenda.
Intervening in an inconclusive debate on law and order, the prime minister also said his government had a roadmap for a ‘role model’ development of the militancy-plagued areas such as Malakand division and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) after the military finishes its job there.
‘This is not the time for dialogue,’ Mr Gilani said, apparently referring to suggestions made off and on by some politicians citing American willingness to talk to elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan who would give up violence, and added that ‘this time’ the operation in South Waziristan would be carried out ‘conclusively’.
The prime minister did not agree with a member of government-allied Awami National Party (ANP), Pervaiz Khan, who complained there was no roadmap yet for the region after army’s withdrawal, and said: ‘We have a roadmap, we have a strategy … and exit policy (formulated) in consultation with the army.’
But he agreed with NWFP’s senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour’s remark earlier in the day that described the militants as beasts, and said: ‘There can be talks with humans, what talks can be held with these beasts?’
Referring to what the government calls a successful military operation in the NWFP’s Malakand division, which include Swat valley, the prime minister said his government would make it a ‘role model’ for economic and social development and assured the house that a similar policy would be pursued about the tribal areas like South Waziristan.
He referred to what he called a ‘damage and needs assessment’ meeting he chaired earlier on Monday with envoys from prospective donor countries and agencies and said a trust fund would be created to be spent in Fata and Balochistan.
An important bill seeking to protect an important Musharraf-era ordinance that strengthened the nuclear National Command Authority was on the house agenda for the day for consideration, but it was deferred by Speaker Fehmida Mirza on a request from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awani, who gave no reason for the move.
The prorogation of the house later, after a few speeches on the law and order situation and a stout defence by Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira of what he called free, fair and transparent legislative assembly election in Gilgit and Baltistan, meant the ordinance would lapse if not approved by parliament by Nov 28 or promulgated again by President Asif Ali Zardari.
It is one of 37 ordinances issued in 2007 by then military president Pervez Musharraf and exempted from parliamentary approval under a constitutional amendment made by him under his controversial emergency proclamation of Nov 3, 2007.
A Supreme Court ruling on July 31 held the emergency proclamation as unconstitutional but gave the government 120 days to decide the fate of these decrees, which also included the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance that the government decided to dump earlier this month bowing to demands from opposition parties and some of its own allies.
Both the nuclear National Command Authority Ordinance and anti-monopoly Competition Commission Ordinance were earlier expected to be passed by both the National Assembly and the Senate by Nov 28, but parliamentary sources ruled out the two houses being called to session before Eidul Azha, though a brief joint session could be held to hear a promised government package seeking solution of major problems of Balochistan.
However, these and other of the remaining non-controversial ordinances from the list of 37 can get a new lease of life by re-promulgation by the president.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/16-gilani-rules-out-talks-with-beasts-hs-06
Intervening in an inconclusive debate on law and order, the prime minister also said his government had a roadmap for a ‘role model’ development of the militancy-plagued areas such as Malakand division and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) after the military finishes its job there.
‘This is not the time for dialogue,’ Mr Gilani said, apparently referring to suggestions made off and on by some politicians citing American willingness to talk to elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan who would give up violence, and added that ‘this time’ the operation in South Waziristan would be carried out ‘conclusively’.
The prime minister did not agree with a member of government-allied Awami National Party (ANP), Pervaiz Khan, who complained there was no roadmap yet for the region after army’s withdrawal, and said: ‘We have a roadmap, we have a strategy … and exit policy (formulated) in consultation with the army.’
But he agreed with NWFP’s senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour’s remark earlier in the day that described the militants as beasts, and said: ‘There can be talks with humans, what talks can be held with these beasts?’
Referring to what the government calls a successful military operation in the NWFP’s Malakand division, which include Swat valley, the prime minister said his government would make it a ‘role model’ for economic and social development and assured the house that a similar policy would be pursued about the tribal areas like South Waziristan.
He referred to what he called a ‘damage and needs assessment’ meeting he chaired earlier on Monday with envoys from prospective donor countries and agencies and said a trust fund would be created to be spent in Fata and Balochistan.
An important bill seeking to protect an important Musharraf-era ordinance that strengthened the nuclear National Command Authority was on the house agenda for the day for consideration, but it was deferred by Speaker Fehmida Mirza on a request from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awani, who gave no reason for the move.
The prorogation of the house later, after a few speeches on the law and order situation and a stout defence by Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira of what he called free, fair and transparent legislative assembly election in Gilgit and Baltistan, meant the ordinance would lapse if not approved by parliament by Nov 28 or promulgated again by President Asif Ali Zardari.
It is one of 37 ordinances issued in 2007 by then military president Pervez Musharraf and exempted from parliamentary approval under a constitutional amendment made by him under his controversial emergency proclamation of Nov 3, 2007.
A Supreme Court ruling on July 31 held the emergency proclamation as unconstitutional but gave the government 120 days to decide the fate of these decrees, which also included the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance that the government decided to dump earlier this month bowing to demands from opposition parties and some of its own allies.
Both the nuclear National Command Authority Ordinance and anti-monopoly Competition Commission Ordinance were earlier expected to be passed by both the National Assembly and the Senate by Nov 28, but parliamentary sources ruled out the two houses being called to session before Eidul Azha, though a brief joint session could be held to hear a promised government package seeking solution of major problems of Balochistan.
However, these and other of the remaining non-controversial ordinances from the list of 37 can get a new lease of life by re-promulgation by the president.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/16-gilani-rules-out-talks-with-beasts-hs-06
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