KABUL‘s political and military leaders to formulate a joint strategy for dealing with the scourge of militancy.
Speaking in the provincial assembly late on Monday, he warned that dithering on the issue would be tantamount to a betrayal of the political leaders who had laid down their lives for the cause of peace and showing courage against terrorists.
“Now is the time for military and political leaders take a quick decision and guide the nation. Otherwise, it will be criminal negligence,” Hoti said, days after the assassination of Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour in a suicide attack.
The chief minister, ministers and members placed red and white roses in Bilour’s chair, along with his portrait and a red cap that Awami National Party (ANP) leaders and activists often put on. Lawmakers, wearing black armbands, lit candles on his desk as a mark of respect.
Bilour, elected five times as an MPA, was the third lawmaker of the sitting assembly to be killed by terrorists. Earlier, ruling ANP legislators Alamzaib Khan and Shamsher Khan had been assassinated in bomb attacks in Peshawar and Swat.
Hoti said the insurgents would be weakened if politicians and military commanders took a bold decision on dealing with extremism. He dismissed the impression that the situation would improve once foreign forces left neighbouring Afghanistan.
His Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain wondered why the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan were separately negotiating talks with the Taliban. He believed the strategy would not succeed, asking all stakeholders to hold meaningful talks with the militants.
PAN Monitor/ mud
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