Audio, videos confirm backers of NW attack

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed on Monday said two Members of the National Assembly made provocative speeches in North Waziristan and they asked people to attack the Makki Garh post.

Responding to a speech of PML-N leader Khawaja Asif in the National Assembly, Murad Saeed said video clips can show as to who asked the people to attack the post of security forces. He said evidence of phone calls made for provoking the people during the whole incident are also available.

Murad Saeed said it was Ali Wazir of the PTM who asked people to attack the post of security forces. He said the peaceful sit-in of people in North Waziristan was in progress for the last two to three days, but suddenly a member of the NA made a telephone call to attack the post.

The minister said it was he, who raised voice in the National Assembly for the rights of the tribal people, adding that Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees freedom of speech to every citizen, but the fashion of maligning the country’s institutions should be stopped.

Murad Saeed said Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government are eager to heal the wounds of people of tribal areas who have been facing pain and war for the last several years. The minister said that Imran Khan had already announced a package of Rs22 billion for the reconstruction of houses and shops for the tribal people affected by the war on terror. The opposition members left the proceedings of the House as soon as Murad Saeed was given the floor.

Murad Saeed said that the process of development and progress has begun in erstwhile Fata and the government is committed to addressing every genuine demand of tribal people. He said that Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Mohsin Dawar were against fencing of the Pak-Afghan border. “Achakzai also managed 25,000 identity cards of Afghan people only to increase his vote bank,” he alleged.

The minister said he wanted to ask as to why the NDS chief, Imtiaz Wazir, stated that body of Tahir Dawar would be given to Mohsin Dawar and Manzoor Pashteen. “I want to ask Mohsin Dawar as to why Imtiaz Wazir said the body of Tahir Dawar would be given only to PTM leaders,” he said.

He said that Mohsin Dawar should respond to his queries otherwise he would reveal all facts and would also tell the House as to who used to meet which people in the past. “Mohsin Dawar should respond to my questions or I will expose him,” he said.

He pointed out that the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) came into being following the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud. “I want to tell Bilawal Bhutto that Rao Anwar was brave child of his father,” he said. Meanwhile, the House also adopted a motion authorising the speaker National Assembly to nominate 15 members of the Lower House to include them in the parliamentary committee to protect minorities from forced conversions.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan moved the motion under Rule 244(B) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, in view of the motion adopted by the Senate, earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the PPP took a strong exception to not allowing it to speak in the National Assembly.

“We wanted to raise the issue of the controversy of NAB chairman and incident of North Waziristan, but instead of giving us the floor, the speaker gave floor to Murad Saeed,” said former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Syed Naveed Qamar while talking to the media outside the Parliament House.

Pervaiz Ashraf said the PPP wanted to speak on the issues, but the speaker gave a floor to the communication minister. He said the PPP wants to resolve the issue of tribal areas politically rather than by use of force.

Naveed Qamar said the parliament was being ignored to take up the national issue.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak said in a statement that the soldiers at the check-post in North Waziristan opened fire in self-defence after five of their colleagues were injured in firing by the group which attacked the post.

He said it was a condemnable incident and more unfortunate was the fact that the mob was led by two MNAs. He said the people of the tribal districts have established peace after great sacrifices.

Pervaiz Khattak said the prime minister and army chief have already stated that the state is like mother and they fully recognise the problems of the people of tribal districts. He said all the genuine demands of the tribal people will be fulfilled under the law and Constitution.

He said the government is committed to social restoration of the tribal districts.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court granted an eight-day physical remand of MNA Ali Wazir to the Counter Terrorism Department officials in a case pertaining to the recent clash between the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) and the security forces.

Ali Wazir was arrested for provoking the protestors to attack the security forces’ check-post. The MNA was presented in a local court in Bannu. Sources have informed that Ali Wazir has been transferred to Peshawar.