Security threats are the major risks to the cooperation on CPEC.
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif lashed out at the opposition on Sunday over opposing the newly announced counterterrorism operation Azm-i-Istehkam as the latter pressed for taking Parliament into confidence before any offensive against militancy.
The operation was announced on Saturday by the government as it vowed to unleash the full force of the military machine, administrative as well, as socio-economic arsenal in crushing acts of terrorism and extremism once and for all.
The announcement came after a meeting of the Central Apex Committee of National Action Plan, which was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by vital federal ministers, provincial chief ministers, services chiefs, and top bureaucrats.
“The prime minister approved a reinvigorated and re-energized national campaign against terrorism through the launching of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam with the consensus of all stakeholders including provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir; symbolizing the national resolve for eradicating extremism and terrorism from the country,” said the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement issued after the meeting.
Azm-i-Istehkam is the latest in a series of CT operations launched by the Pakistan Army since the mid-2000s. Other recent operations include Zarb-i-Azb, launched in 2014 by Gen Raheel Sharif to rout militants from North Waziristan, and Raddul Fasaad, initiated in 2017 under Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa to eliminate what was then described as “residual terrorist threats” in the country.
Although these operations achieved some tactical success by way of reducing terrorist incidents and eliminating high-value targets, militancy has not been completely wiped out from this country.
The move also came a day after a top Chinese official cited security as the most outstanding challenge to the future of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor on Friday.
“Security threats are the major risks to the cooperation on CPEC. As people often say, confidence is more precious than gold. In the case of Pakistan, the first and foremost factor shaking the confidence of Chinese investors is the security situation,” Liu Jianchao underlined.
PTI leaders address the media in Islamabad on June 23
Speaking to the media persons outside Parliament House in Islamabad today, PTI MNA Gohar Khan said, “It is our demand […] that if there is any operation — whether intelligence-based or full-fledged or in certain districts or villages or tehsils — it is necessary to take this Parliament into confidence.”
He said so while the National Assembly was in session and added that the opposition wanted to speak on the point of order that the “military leadership, as has been done in the past, give an in-camera briefing and detail the situation.”
However, he claimed that his party lawmakers were not allowed to speak and, so they walked out in protest.
He said that no committee, however empowered, could bypass Parliament, and there were “rules” whereby the apex committee was required to approve plans for ‘Operation Azm-i-Istehkam’.
Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser also stood beside him, entreating the same: “I simply urge that if any kind of decision has been taken as far as an operation is concerned, it may be put before Parliament and the latter be taken into confidence.
It was further opposed by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, who said that they had wanted to speak during today’s Nano خدمت session but were not allowed to.
Ayub threatened “due share and due right,” and alleged that NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s “attitude” towards the opposition was “not right.”
Later, Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah gave the floor to Asif during the NA session. Opposition lawmakers raised slogans such as “Fata operation unacceptable,” “KP operation unacceptable, and so on.
As Shah assured him that the opposition would get a chance to speak, Asif reiterated that he was merely trying to draw attention to the increased incidents of violence against minorities in Pakistan.
However, the din continued, and Asif could not speak further. Defense minister stood silent for one to two minutes as PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council MNAs chanted, “military operation unacceptable.”
“I will not be blackmailed. Do not let the House be blackmailed,” Asif told the deputy speaker, who shot back, “The chair will not be blackmailed either.”
The NA’s YouTube livestream was also muted at parts.
Repeatedly pressed by Shah to speak his mind, Asif asked, “What is the point of speaking when the chair cannot restore order in the House?
The Defence Minister referred to yesterday’s derogatory remarks by PTI’s Sanaullah Mastikhel and said there were “new abuses hurled today.”
We want peace,” the opposition continued to say, according to Asif, who tried to speak on minorities, which certainly was not a “controversial issue that any group or political party would object to.”
Read more: PTI, SIC Reject Support for any Operations, Demand Parliament’s Confidence
The minister assailed the PTI for “muffling voices when the matter was being raised in Pakistan’s largest House” – referring to violent incidents involving minorities in Swat, Sargodha, and Faisalabad.
Asif then responded to the PTI’s concerns about Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, recalling that the PTI participated in discussions in 2014 during Operation Zarb-i-Azb. He asserted that the matter was being referred to the federal cabinet and that it would also be kept before the NA.
“We do not want to take any step that may be targeted under the guise of political interests. If they have any objections, then God-willing, at the time, that issue will be put before this House, they will then speak on it,” he said.
The opposition, he said, was “showing their reality” and wanted to “do politics of violence.”.
He claimed the chief minister of KP, PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur, was present during yesterday’s apex committee meeting where this new operation got clearance.
” They are standing with the terrorists, opposed to the martyrs of the Pakistan Army and the army which is still making sacrifices to counter terrorism. Opposition has not backed off from their May 9 stance even today,” says the minister.
He went on to lambast the PTI for changing their stances by their interests, dishonoring the NA by hurling abuses and “stealing electricity.” As Asif concluded his speech, the session was adjourned for an hour. When the House reassembled, Gohar again insisted that any military operation undertaken had to remain within constitutional limits.
