ID :
23851
Sat, 10/11/2008 - 09:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23851
The shortlink copeid
Pak lawmakers demand summoning of Musharraf to Parliament
Islamabad, Oct 10 (PTI) Pakistani lawmakers Friday demanded that former President Pervez Musharraf be summoned to depose before a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament to explain the "rules of engagement" agreed upon with the U.S. in the 'war on terror' which Pakistan entered during his regime.
The lawmakers wanted Musharraf to depose as they said
they were still looking for answers from the country's top
intelligence brass on reasons for an upsurge in terrorist
violence in the country.
For this they have demanded another elaborate briefing
on the 'war on terror', which the government has now fixed for
Monday.
The lawmakers are insisting on knowing whether there
is any apparent secret understanding to allow U.S.-led
coalition forces to carry out missile attacks and strikes on
Pakistani soil bordering Afghanistan and what the country's
approach is to tackle the menace of terrorism.
There were still question marks on whether the
government would accede to the demands for summoning Musharraf
before the joint session.
The demand was made by main opposition Pakistan Muslim
League (Nawaz) parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan,
whose party did not attend earlier briefings.
He called on the government to summon Musharraf to the
session to tell the parliament about the "rules of engagement"
agreed upon with the U.S. in the war on terror which Pakistan
entered during his regime.
Khan said his party did not participate in yesterday's
question-answer session as it was not satisfied with the
format of the briefing.
"We want parliament to be briefed on an umbrella
strategy to replace the existing (anti-terror) policy," Khan
said.
Meanwhile, Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik, a top
leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (P.P.P.) and a
key aide of President Asif Ali Zardari, will brief members of
the National Assembly and Senate during Monday's session in a
second briefing by civilian officials.
The in-camera joint session of parliament, called by
Zardari to evolve a homegrown anti-terror policy through
consensus, has so far been briefed by Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja
Pasha, the Director general-designate of the powerful ISI. PTI
The lawmakers wanted Musharraf to depose as they said
they were still looking for answers from the country's top
intelligence brass on reasons for an upsurge in terrorist
violence in the country.
For this they have demanded another elaborate briefing
on the 'war on terror', which the government has now fixed for
Monday.
The lawmakers are insisting on knowing whether there
is any apparent secret understanding to allow U.S.-led
coalition forces to carry out missile attacks and strikes on
Pakistani soil bordering Afghanistan and what the country's
approach is to tackle the menace of terrorism.
There were still question marks on whether the
government would accede to the demands for summoning Musharraf
before the joint session.
The demand was made by main opposition Pakistan Muslim
League (Nawaz) parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan,
whose party did not attend earlier briefings.
He called on the government to summon Musharraf to the
session to tell the parliament about the "rules of engagement"
agreed upon with the U.S. in the war on terror which Pakistan
entered during his regime.
Khan said his party did not participate in yesterday's
question-answer session as it was not satisfied with the
format of the briefing.
"We want parliament to be briefed on an umbrella
strategy to replace the existing (anti-terror) policy," Khan
said.
Meanwhile, Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik, a top
leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (P.P.P.) and a
key aide of President Asif Ali Zardari, will brief members of
the National Assembly and Senate during Monday's session in a
second briefing by civilian officials.
The in-camera joint session of parliament, called by
Zardari to evolve a homegrown anti-terror policy through
consensus, has so far been briefed by Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja
Pasha, the Director general-designate of the powerful ISI. PTI
