National Assembly Standing Committee On Defence Meets Today
Tuesday, 5th September, 2017
Islamabad, 5th September, 2017: A meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence met today in Committee Room of old PIPS, Parliament Lodges, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Shaikh Rohale Asghar, MNA. The Committee considered “The National Centre for Countering Violent Extremism Bill, 2017”in detail. During deliberations, the Committee observed that the said Bill pertained to the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics and recommended that the said Bill would be referred to the Cabinet Secretariat to determine the subject whether it pertains to the Ministry of Interior or Ministry of Defence. The Mover of the Bill, Ms. Romina Khursheed Alam, MNA also participated in the meeting and briefed the Committee over the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill. The Minister and Secretary Ministry of Defence also told the Committee that the Bill does not pertain to the Ministry of Defence as the internal security matters of the country falls within the domain of the Ministry of Interior. They further expressed that it deals with the establishment of National Centre for Countering Violent Extremism in the country.
2.The Committee also took strong exception of the hostile and threatening statement made by the US President Donald J. Trump and Gen John W. Nicholson the top US commander in Afghanistan and adopted the following resolution unanimously:
CONDEMNATION RESOLUTION
- The Committee strongly condemns the hostile and threatening statement made by the US President Donald J. Trump and Gen John W. Nicholson the top US commander in Afghanistan against Pakistan.
- The Committee rejects the claim of the US president regarding Pakistan’s safe haven for terrorists as 40% area of Afghanistan not under the control of the Afghan Government.
- The Committee further rejects Trump's claim that billions of dollars in aid have been spent on Pakistan, stating that Pakistan's economy has suffered a loss of more than $123 billion.
3.The Committee also strongly condemned the massacre of Burma Muslims by the hands of the Myanmar Government and urged the United Nations and International Community to condemn the massacre of the Burma Muslims and play their role in preventing the atrocities of the Muslims of Burma.
4.The meeting was also attended by Mr. Isphanyar M. Bhandara, Sheikh Muhammad Akram, Sardar Muhammad Shafqat Hayat Khan, Lt. Col. (Retd) Ghulam Rasool Sahi, Mr. Saeed Ahmed Khan Manais, Shaikh Fayyaz ud Din, Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar, Ms. Kishwer Zehra, Mr. Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq MNAs and Ms. Romina Khursheed Alam, MNA/Mover of the Bill and Officers/Officials of the Ministry.