Khursheed Shah asks govt to summon military leadership to Parliament

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in NA Syed Khursheed Shah on Wednesday demanded of the government to summon the military leadership to the Parliament and brief the house regarding the current security situation of the country.

Shah also asked for the heads of intelligence and security agencies to be present for the briefing.

“The government should summon heads of the all security and intelligence agencies in the Parliament, asking them to brief the session about the steps taken by them to provide security to the people of Pakistan,” Shah said while speaking during the National Assembly session.

The remarks by the opposition leader come two days after the carnage in Quetta, which mauled the provincial capital's judicial community.

During the session the opposition leader suggested to establish a parliamentary national security committee in order to monitor the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and the progress in Operation Zarb-i-Azb.

“A parliamentary committee must be formed to review the steps taken by the government and the security agencies for implementing National Action Plan,” Shah said.

Responding to criticism by the interior minister regarding PPP’s earlier tenure, Shah said it is not the right time for political point scoring.

“PPP’s government had twice summoned the military leadership in joint parliamentary in-camera sessions and had asked it to address the concerns of the parliamentarians regarding security issues.”

Addressing the prime minister, who was present in the NA session, the opposition leader said ministers like Nisar are enough to weaken his government.

The opposition parties later walked out from the session in protest against the criticism by the minister of interior.

Earlier during the session, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan's intelligence agencies are working day and night to defeat nefarious designs of the country's enemies.

The premier also said that Operation Zarb-i-Azb is a unanimous national agenda that will be completed at all costs.

Carnage in Quetta

At least 70 people were killed and over 100 injured after a suicide bomber struck the emergency ward of Quetta's Civil Hospital, where scores of people had gathered to mourn the death of Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) president Bilal Anwar Kasi in a gun attack earlier in the day.

Witnesses present at the hospital at the time of the attack recall complete chaos at the site, with bodies lying on the ground amidst pools of blood and debris.

The attack was claimed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamaatul Ahrar and the militant Islamic State group, but Balochistan Chief Minster Sanaullah Zehri hinted at the involvement of Indian spy agency RAW.