Treasury, opposition clash in Senate as JUI-F senator questions terrorism in KP

ISLAMABAD: The treasury and opposition sparred in the Senate on Tuesday over a rising wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Attaur Rehman asking whether the province had been “handed over to terrorists”.

Speaking in the House, Senator Rehman accused the government of indifference to KP’s security situation, saying its focus on legislation was “in no way more important than the lives of the people of KP”.

“Why has our blood turned white? Why is there no concern for KP?” Rehman asked. “Blood is being spilt there and you’re worried about your bills. Are these bills so important that human blood keeps flowing while you keep passing legislation?”

He cited attacks in Lakki Marwat and Bannu and said the provincial chief minister was “still out on tours”.

“Have some sense of our wounds. Why are Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s conditions not being given importance?” he said.

Responding to the senator’s remarks, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said every terrorist incident had been condemned in the House.

“I don’t believe our hearts don’t ache for these incidents,” he said, calling the attacks on police in Bannu and Lakki Marwat “cowardly”.

Chaudhry said intelligence-based operations were underway, rejecting the impression that any province was being targeted. “This country will remain; however, the terrorists will be defeated,” he said, noting that an incident had also occurred in Islamabad. He asked whether the suicide blast in Tarlai was in KP?

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said he had full faith in Rehman’s patriotism but rejected talk of KP breaking away. “KP and Balochistan are provinces of patriotic Pakistanis,” he said.

Sanaullah claimed “seven to eight thousand misguided people” were receiving terrorist training in Afghanistan with “funding from India and Israel” and carrying out attacks in Pakistan.

He said that there would be no compromise on Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made it clear that Afghanistan must choose between Pakistan and terrorism,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue targeting terrorist training camps and sanctuaries in Afghanistan until the menace is eradicated.

PML-N senator further urged the opposition to refrain from linking political differences with terrorist activities. He said PM Shehbaz had repeatedly invited the opposition to come to the dialogue table to resolve political issues.

Earlier, replying to a question during the question hour, Chaudhry said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) carries out offloading strictly in accordance with established procedures.

The minister further clarified that when discrepancies are identified in a passenger’s travel documents or profile during initial screening, the case is referred for further scrutiny.

“FIA has prominently displayed information on passengers’ rights, complaint mechanisms, and appeal procedures at all immigration counters in both Urdu and English, and has disseminated this information through public awareness initiatives,” the minister added.

He also rejected reports of deportations of Pakistani citizens from any country, especially the United Arab Emirates.