PSP demands new social contract to end terrorism

Mustafa Kamal says govt, LEAs should devise new strategy against militancy 

Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Mustafa Kamal has demanded of the government to formulate a new social contract and a new master plan with a view to eliminating terrorism, saying the army and Rangers are not a permanent solution to the problem in the country.

Addressing a press conference at the Pakistan House, the party’s headquarters on Saturday, he said that the government and law-enforcement agencies should sit together to draw up a future line of action against militancy so that such incidents did not happen again.

Kamal said the country was passing through a crucial phase and India was infiltrating its plainclothes military men into Pakistan and attacking its major installations.

“We must avoid giving space to our rival country as the launch of every operation benefits the cause of India, which is happy to see that our nation is engaged in the war against terrorism.”

He said: “Taking advantage of the situation, our neighboring country has deployed its forces, which is very sensitive.”

Strongly opposing the deployment of Rangers in the country, the PSP chief asked whether operations were the only solution to all problems. He said that a new operation was launched in the country without taking into considering its likely results. 

“The Rangers were deployed in Karachi some 25 years ago. Did we achieve any target? Now, the Rangers have been deployed in Punjab for six months. Will this ensure peace in Punjab?” he asked.

Operation Raddul Fasad was launched without seeing whether Operation Zarb-e-Azb had come to its logical end, he said, asking what if the new operation also failed. 

“Unfortunately, after every incident, we wait for another confrontation. The biggest-ever recurrence in the history of Pakistan was the attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar, and hope was given that the political and military leadership would jointly take action against the militants and 2016 would be the last year of aggression and terrorism. But contrary to the fact the terror campaign is continuing in 2017 also and no action is taken.”

Kamal said: “Why are children being forced to turn into suicide bombers? Mothers are tired of picking up their sons’ bodies.”

He stressed that it was high time all political parties joined hands to eliminate terrorism and devise a mechanism to fight the menace of hostility in the country.

“The government has no concrete strategy to combat terrorism. How could an operation recognise who is a terrorist and who is not?” 

Kamal demanded of the government and law enforcement agencies to determine their direction for the sake of the country and avoid the blame game. 

He was of the view that issues could not be solved by keeping eyes shut.

“Whatever plan is envisaged, success only lies in the transfer of power to the local tier,” he said.  The PSP chief also asked the government to review its policy.