Parliamentary input key to resolve national security issues: Raza Rabbani

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raza Rabbani has urged the government to consider guidelines of former parliamentary committee on national security while chalking out new policy.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club flanked by Rashid Rabbani, Taj Haider and others on Monday, the PPP veteran urged Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to ensure parliamentary input and inclusion of politicians in the task force formed by the government to resolve issue of missing persons.

He said that the solutions presented by the bureaucracy had not been successful in the past, adding that government should avoid relying on civil and military bureaucracy.


Rabbani, who headed the parliamentary committee on national security comprising several government and opposition stalwarts, recalled that the parliamentary body had presented consensus documents on issues ranging from missing persons, terms of engagements with US to London conference on Afghanistan.

The Pakistan People’s Party leader strongly condemned Indian aggression on border and said that in the presence of a government in Islamabad, which sought peaceful solution to problems through dialogues such uncalled for acts were condemnable.

He said that during his recent visit, US Secretary of State John Kerry, which was described as successful by the government, the top US diplomat repeated mantra of “do more” in sugarcoated words. Kerry also said that drone policy would continue in light of President Obama’s policy.

Rabbani expressed concern over recent wave of terrorism in the country and blamed it on lack of national security policy.

He said that a proposed government’s all parties conference was postponed apparently due to refusal by Imran Khan to attend the moot. Rabbani added that the Pakistan People’s Party would not indulge in point scoring and would play constructive role on national issues.

Raza Rabbani said that all the political parties, military and civil leadership should be on the same page to address the issues facing the country.

He also highlighted lack of coordination amongst security agencies. The PPP leader presented a set of recommendations to the federal government to cope with the problems facing the country with special focus on national security.

He suggested a variety of measures to bring peace to Karachi including strengthening prosecution to bring the perpetrators of violence to book.

Rabbani set aside the impression that the judiciary was letting off criminals and said that it was due to weak prosecution that the criminals were released by the courts.






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