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Friday March 29, 2024

Senate body condemns Indian interference in Balochistan

By our corresponent
November 18, 2017
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Friday strongly condemned Indian interference in Balochistan and demanded that the government take up the issue with United Nations so that the real face of India could be exposed before the world.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Rehman Malik here at the Parliament House and was attended by Senator Col (R) Tahir Hussin Mashhadi, Senator Saleh Shah, Senator Fateh Muhammad Hassani, State Minister for Interior Tallal Ch, Federal Secretary Interior, IG Islamabad Police, SP Islamabad Police, DIG Police Balochistan and officials from Ministry of Interior, Law Division.
Senator Rehman Malik moved a resolution which was unanimously passed and appreciated by the members of the committee.
The resolution stated, “Senate Standing Committee on Interior strongly condemns the recent wave of terror incidents in Balochistan wherein on November 9, 2017 DIG Hamid Shakeel along with his staff members were martyred, on November 15, 2017 fifteen people were martyred in Turbat and in another sad incident on the same day a senior police official SP Investigation Mohammad Ilyas and his three family members were martyred in Quetta. The Committee prays for eternal peace of the departed souls of martyrs and expresses heartfelt condolences and sympathies with bereaved families.”
The Committee paid rich tribute to the martyrs. The resolution stated that it is matter of public record that India has allocated an amount of half billion dollars to destabilise Balochistan and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by RAW activities inside Balochistan in pursuance of anti-Pakistan policy of Indian Prime Minister.
Senator Rehman Malik said that India interference in Pakistan is no more a secret particularly after the arrest and confessional statement of RAW’s agent.
He also advised the media to not promote the Indian narrative which is to create the ethnic division like they just did in East Pakistan case. He said media should not mention ethnicity of victims. He said he was annoyed to read “15 Punjabis were killed in Balochistan” because terrorists are killing innocent Pakistanis.
Senator Col (R) Tahir Mashahadi said, “We salute sacrifices of our policemen and officials of law enforcement agencies.” Senator Fateh Muhammad Hassani said that those who are working as agents for RAW should be exposed before the nation and should be punished for their anti-Pakistan moves. Senator Rehman Malik directed the secretary interior to submit a detailed report on martyrdom of DIG Hamid Shaheek, SP Muhammad Illyas and fifteen peoples in Turbat in next meeting.
Inspector General Islamabad Police Khalid Khattak briefed the committee about the investigation into attack on senior journalist of The News, Ahmed Noorani, saying investigation is underway and soon it will be shared with the committee.
The Committee extended time for two weeks to submit the report on the attack on journalist Ahmed Noorani. Senator Rehman Malik advised the IG Police Islamabad to hire the help of Google map if Safe City Cameras have not filmed the scene of incident.
Commissioner Islamabad Zulfiqar Haider briefed the committee on the siege of Islamabad city by protesters which have caused incontinence to people of twin cities, particularly students, patients and women.
Senator Rehman Malik asked the Minister of State, Secretary Interior and Islamabad administration that despite of intelligence information why preliminary measures were not taken by the government to stop the protesters from reaching Islamabad and why no role was played by the government of Punjab in this regard.
He said it is not necessary that protestors should be stopped by use of force but the government could defuse the impasse peacefully through negotiations.
He said, “We all are proud Muslims. Finality of Prophethood is part of our faith and we can sacrifice our lives in the name of our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) but putting innocent people, patients and students’ lives in trouble is lawlessness.”
He said protest is the right of every citizen in a democratic society but besieging the capital of a country is not only causing a great trouble to the people of twin cities but also bringing a bad name to the country internationally.
He said he is astonished over the failure and incompetence of the present government that it cannot address the concerns and reservations of handful people to bring an end to the ongoing sit-in in Islamabad. He directed the Ministry of Interior they should ensure the end of sit-in within hours as now they have orders of Islamabad High Court.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told the committee tat that provincial government of Punjab has negotiated with the protestors prior of their travel from Lahore to Islamabad and they had promised that they will not enter into Islamabad but they had broken their promise and closed roads in Islamabad.
He said the government has formed separate committees under Raja Zafarul Haq and cabinet ministers but the protestors were stuck to their demand.
Chief Commissioner Islamabad told the committee that there were reports that some of the protestors possess weapons. “The Punjab government should have stopped the protestors from entering into Islamabad,” he said and hoped that the Faizabad interchange would be vacated from the protestors soon.
The Committee in its meeting passed 'The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017’, which was moved by Senator Sirajul Haq and was referred to the House for further proceedings.
Senator Rehman Malik directed DIG Balochistan to look into the FIR of Senator Rubina Irfan about a robbery at her residence.