APP
Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday called on political parties to unite against terrorism, saying terrorist incidents had increased by 195 per cent in two years in KP. Speaking at a joint sitting of Parliament, she said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had persuaded the government to hold talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
She praised Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and the PTI’s federal team for taking part in the negotiations sincerely. She said the talks covered a written agreement, a joint declaration and confidence-building measures.
Rehman said the PTI’s leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should have joined the talks, as any agreement on counterterrorism required the provincial government’s involvement. She said the PPP was ready to sign the proposed agreement, but the provincial leadership did not support it. The senator also called on the provincial government to strengthen the police and the Counter Terrorism Department.
She said no politician wanted an emergency to be imposed, but the security situation required a joint response. Referring to a distance of 16 kilometres, she warned that the threat of terrorism was close and stressed the need for a unified national policy to tackle it.
Rehman recalled the sacrifices made by the PPP in the fight against terrorism, including the deaths of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and party workers in terrorist attacks. She said the PPP stood with the police and armed forces and urged political leaders to put national security ahead of their political differences.