Lawmakers warn move could harm Palestine, question government decision-making
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday saw a rare consensus between the Treasury benches and the Jamaiat Uelma-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) on Pakistan’s decision to join the International Peace Council, with both sides demanding immediate withdrawal from the body.
During the assembly session, JUI-F leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman said that Pakistan’s inclusion in the board would harm the Palestinian struggle, calling the move “harmful and unacceptable”. Provincial Justice Minister Aftab Alam echoed these concerns, questioning how Pakistani representatives could sit alongside the nations responsible for the “massacre of Palestinian Muslims,” referring to the United States and Israel.
Maulana Lutfur Rehman pointed out that Pakistan’s parliament was not consulted before joining the board and stressed that the decision was against national interests. He warned that even as the United States threatens Palestine, it will also chair the Peace Council, raising questions about Pakistan’s responsibility to its citizens.
The assembly also discussed broader security issues, including ongoing debates over law and order in the province. A security committee, formed three months ago, held several meetings to assess operational preparedness, but Justice Minister Aftab Alam criticized the process, saying institution-building is the responsibility of the federal and provincial governments and the province cannot shirk its responsibilities.
The session also highlighted long-standing development concerns. Lawmakers have raised questions about the 113 schools in Abbottabad destroyed in the 2005 earthquake and which have still not been rebuilt after two decades. PML-N MP Amna Sardar criticized the slow pace of reconstruction, while Treasury member Nazir Ahmad Abbasi called it a “serious problem”, pointing out that generations of children have been educated in the open.
Minority representation in government ministries has also come under scrutiny. Minority lawmaker Suresh Kumar highlighted unfilled quotas in 25 departments, with 146 of the 226 reserved posts left vacant. Justice Minister Alam ordered that the matter be referred to the relevant committee for further consideration.
The assembly also witnessed tensions. Opposition member Jalal Khan clashed with Justice Minister Alam over quorum issues during the Palestine debate. Speaker Anwar Khan intervened to maintain order and the session was eventually adjourned to Friday, January 30 due to quorum issues.
