Assembly debate on security turns ugly
Lawmakers from both sides traded allegations, accusing one another of being "products of the establishment" and dredging up decades-old political history. Calls for constructive debate were repeatedly overshadowed by personal attacks and partisan jibes.
During the discussion, Pakistan Peoples Party parliamentary leader Ahmad Karim Kundi criticised the government's handling of security, saying 'crocodile tears' would not resolve the crisis. He referenced statements by caretaker federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, who had accused the K-P chief minister of paying extortion money. "If the chief minister himself admits paying extortion, what can an ordinary citizen expect?" Kundi asked, demanding a parliamentary peace committee headed by the opposition leader.
Kundi alleged that billions allocated under the NFC Award for counterterrorism had not been properly utilised, and accused the provincial leadership of privately courting the establishment while publicly claiming defiance. He further said those who once staged a 126-day sit-in on the orders of a military general were now criticising security institutions.
Provincial Minister Dr Amjad Khan hit back, dismissing Naqvi as "unelected" and unqualified to comment on the chief minister. He questioned why the PPP government had failed to arrest Benazir Bhutto's killers and accused past governments of introducing terrorism to the region through drone strikes and militant patronage.
PTI lawmaker Major (retd) Sajjad Khan said opposition parties had "nothing but lies and criticism," claiming PTI was the only party with representation nationwide. He accused federal coalition partners of supporting military operations in K-P, while fleeing from the provincial government's proposed All Parties Conference because they could not endorse PTI's stance.
In a fiery speech, he also targeted K-P Governor, accusing him of spending his life "loitering in Islamabad's streets" and failing to perform gubernatorial duties. Speaker Babar Saleem Swati refused to expunge un-parliamentary remarks, saying live broadcasts should hold members accountable for their words.
Earlier, MPA Dawood Shah Afridi lamented the province's worsening security since the PTI government's ouster, claiming the region had become peaceful under Imran Khan's tenure when drone strikes ceased. He alleged K-P and Balochistan faced oppression because of their mineral resources and power generation capacity.
Lawmakers Yamin Khan and Malik Adeel opposed any new military operation in K-P, warning that pitting the army against the people would not bring peace. They linked unchecked corruption with the rise in terrorism and accused the opposition of seeking privileges rather than genuine reform.
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