APC backs military operation; people asked to help IDPs; Gilani pledges to eradicate terrorism from Swat; says no compromise on N-assets

By Asim Yasin


ISLAMABAD: The all parties conference (APC) on Monday unanimously backed the government’s counter-insurgency operation ‘Rah-e-Rast’ by adopting a 16-point resolution with the resolve to make efforts to unite the nation in the face of insurgency in Swat and the Malakand Division.

“All the parties have unanimously approved a resolution in favour of the Swat operation,” said Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira while briefing newsmen at the PID after the nine-hour-long APC held at the PM House.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had convened the APC to evolve a consensus for the ongoing military operation in Swat and Malakand. The resolution was drafted by Chairman Parliamentary Committee on National Security Mian Raza Rabbani and adopted unanimously by all the top political leadership of the country.

They also reiterated their support to the resolution passed on October 22 and the subsequent resolution of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security as required by the resolution and impressed upon the government for its speedy implementation.

Chief Minister NWFP Amir Haider Khan Hoti briefed the top leadership of the country about the situation in Swat and Malakand. Qamar Zaman Kaira and Director General ISPR Major-General Athar Abbas also spoke on the occasion.

The resolution reaffirmed the commitment to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and sovereignty of Pakistan. The APC emphasised the need to establish and maintain the writ of the state, expressed grief over the martyrdom of security personnel and innocent civilians and urged the government to avoid civilian casualties.

It re-emphasised the need to ensure the safety, well-being and rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons in their respective areas. The APC called upon the people to respond as one nation to mitigate the suffering of the IDPs.

The conference reiterated that the country’s nuclear assets were under an effective command and control authority. It asserted that the strategic decisions regarding military issues, including the deployment of troops, were the sole prerogative of the state.

It condemned the violation of Pakistan’s political, economic and territorial sovereignty, in particular reference to the drone attacks.The APC conveyed that Pakistan is a sovereign state and any aid — economic or military, which carries conditionalities — would be counterproductive.

It also resolved to make efforts to unite the nation in the face of insurgency in Swat and the Malakand Division to struggle collectively for the security and welfare of the IDPs and to unite the nation to combat terrorism, extremism and sectarianism.

The information minister said the military operation was launched as a last resort following gross violations of the Swat accord by the militants. He said there are clear instructions for precise attacks in order to avoid collateral damage. Every possible effort is being made to isolate the militants, he added.

Kaira said what is going on in Swat and Malakand is not terrorism but insurgency and it is the duty of the government to protect the life and property of the citizens. He said the problem in Swat was not local as there was a threat to the state and ramifications for regional and global peace.

He said “victory is the only option for us” and expressed the confidence that the armed forces, with the full support of the nation, would control the situation in the shortest possible time. He said about 80 per cent of the IDPs are living outside camps and those who have been registered would soon get cash grant.

He said after improvement in the Bajaur situation, people of that area have started returning to their homes and 20,000 of them have already returned. Earlier, addressing the APC, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani told the national leadership that the Army would stay in Swat and Malakand till complete peace is restored there and the return of the IDPs to their homes is ensured.

Prominent among those who attended the APC were Mian Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Dr Farooq Sattar, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Liaquat Baloch, Owais Ghani, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and Imran Khan.

In his inaugural address, the prime minister said the government took every possible step for peace and reconciliation and entered into an agreement with the so-called Taliban. “However, they misconstrued it as our weakness and started challenging the writ of the state.” He said the government took its coalition partners and parliament into confidence before launching the military operation.

Gilani acknowledged that the military operation was not the ultimate solution of the problem, therefore, the government had decided to take all political forces on board to resolve all the issues being confronted by the nation. He said, “It is our commitment to root out all those elements, who are tarnishing the image of Islam and perpetrating barbaric crimes under the cover of religion. We are confident that we would emerge victorious with the help of the people and all political forces.”

He said the operation is moving forward successfully and a large number of militants have been killed while others are on the run. He lauded the role of the armed forces in helping the nation in every difficult time. He said there should be no doubt about the professional capabilities of the armed forces.

Gilani made it clear that after completing the operation, the armed forces would stay in the area so that the militants do not raise their ìugly headî again. He said every possible step is being taken at every level to provide succour to the IDPs and alleviate their sufferings. He said the Finance Ministry has been tasked to arrange a donor’s conference in Islamabad in a bid to motivate the international community to come forward with generous donations to help the IDPs. He said the government has decided to give remission in taxes to the people of the affected areas.

Gilani also flayed the quarters spreading misinformation about the country’s nuclear assets and said that these were in very safe hands. “No force however, powerful can cast an evil eye on our nuclear assets as the nation and the armed forces are united to defend them,” he said.

Online adds: Supporting the Swat operation, PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif underlined that it must continue until the elimination of all militants. He made it clear that the military operation in Swat must continue till all the militants are defeated and forced to accept writ of the state.

He said, “We must also look what is going on in Balochistan as at the moment all eyes are on the military operation in Swat and Malakand”. AJK PM Sardar Muhammad Yaqub Khan also attended the APC on the request of the prime minister. He later met the PM and presented him a cheque of Rs 30 million for the IDPs. The Balochistan National Party (BNP) and the National Party boycotted the APC on the plea that “Balochistan was a national and political problem but the government had ignored it.”