ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (APP): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday urged all political parties to rise above political differences and work together to combat terrorism, stressing that national security required collective efforts.
Speaking in the Senate, he said the federal and provincial governments shared responsibility for ensuring the country’s security and stability.
He said the federal government had consistently sought to resolve issues through political dialogue and reconciliation.
Ishaq Dar said the Constitution provided a mechanism for parliamentary approval of emergency measures and that the government would follow the prescribed procedure.
He referred to Articles 232 and 234, which deal with the proclamation of an emergency and situations in which a provincial government cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution, respectively.
The deputy prime minister said terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had surged to more than 3,000 during Sohail Afridi’s tenure.
He said police and army personnel continued to sacrifice their lives in the fight against terrorism, while the provincial government did not even attend their funerals.
Ishaq Dar also questioned the use of provincial resources and infrastructure for political mobilisation at a time when the province was facing serious security challenges.
He referred to the additional one per cent share allocated to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to help the province meet the costs associated with combating terrorism.
Criticising Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over its response to the Jaffar Express attack, he said that the party had not condemned the incident.
Commenting on the economy, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan had been on the verge of default in 2022 but its economic position had since improved.
He stressed that political stability, economic reforms and national unity were essential to sustaining the country’s progress.
The deputy prime minister reiterated that terrorism should not be treated merely as a political issue, urging political leaders to prioritise national security and work collectively with the federal and provincial governments to eliminate the menace of terrorism.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
