Osama's death divides Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, May 13, IRNA -- Pakistan seems to be divided after the US Special Forces killed Osama Bin Laden and now the government is under tremendous pressure both internally and externally with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani calling for unity.
Main opposition leader and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has called for formation of a judicial commission to probe the agencies' failure to detect the intrusion of the US helicopters which conducted a 40-minute operation.
He said that an independent judicial commission, comprising the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the chief justices of all four provinces, present a report on the incident within 21 days and rejected the committee formed by the government terming it as unreliable.
The PML-N chief questioned the credibility of the armed forces and the intelligence agencies on their role in the incident stating that the presence of a most wanted terrorist near sensitive army installations was a matter of grave concern and added that such incidents placed a question mark on the country’s sovereignty.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, however, has exhorted political leadership from across the divide to stand united and give a collective strategy on national policy on security to face the serious challenges facing the country.
“We are at the crossroads today and the situation demands resolve and commitment of the nation to stand by the state institutions and defend our geographical and ideological frontiers,” he said during his first appearance in the Senate after the Abbottabad episode.
Gilani observed that no opportunity should be provided to others to cast an evil eye on the country.
He said the situation demanded more coordination between the political forces and all state institutions.
The premier emphatically said that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was not a Pakistani citizen, “we did not invite him to Pakistan”.
Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has also ordered an inquiry into the intelligence failure in detecting the presence of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the town of Abbottabad and for determining how the US carried out the operation `Geronimo` without the Pakistan military getting wind of it.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Syed Munawar Hasan has said the nation is facing the present situation because of the pro-US policies of the rulers.
He questioned the use of having a large army if it could not defend against the enemy.
A Pakistani political party Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has announced a countrywide referendum over Abbottabad operation and released 17 questions seeking people’s opinion till May 17.
Central leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) (Like Minded) have demanded formation of Judicial Commission to probe the Abbottabad operation.
The government should also make a clear stance over the issue of Osama Bin Laden killing instead of making confuse statements, said the PML-Q like minded leaders, adding that whatever the reason was but the government should take the masses and parliament into confidence over this US operation in Pakistani territory.
PML-N’s Central Leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq, speaking in the Parliament, bashed the government as well as military for not having prior information about the Abbottabad incident calling it the biggest political, security and security failure.
JUI-F’s Maulana Attaur Rehman, taking part in the debate, said that the government had shown non-seriousness on the incident so far and noted that the government had no right to remain in power due to its failure.
PML-Q MNA Atia Anaytullah pointed out that May 02 incident was a declaration of war on Pakistan.
PPP leader Raza Rabbani, who recently quit the federal cabinet, has rejected government’s claim that state institutions of the country were on the same page and in harmony on national issues, pointing out that there was contradiction between the statements of the foreign office and other institutions regarding the incident.
Speaking on a point of order, he sought complete harmony amongst state institutions, particularly on sensitive matters.
Rabbani also condemned the statement of Interior Minister Rehman Malik that the government would give the US access to widows of Osama bin Laden.
Instead, they should be repatriated to their respective countries, he added.
Former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, addressing a gathering, has said that there is need to bring changes in leadership so as to avoid Abbottabad like operations in future.
Imran Khan the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf commenting on the death of Osama Bin Laden has said that Pakistan is passing through a crucial situation and the death of Osama would increase the pressure on Pakistan.
He said that the political leadership should make consensus and Pakistan has to separate from the war against terrorism.
He added that now we should have to say to America that Osama is dead and let Pakistan to align itself from war on terror.
The Democracy Assessment Group of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) earlier had demanded a comprehensive explanation from the government on Osama bin Laden`s killing and urged parliament to constitute a joint commission to investigate lapses in the matter.
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