Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday told the National Assembly that India was using the Afghan soil against Pakistan.

He added that the government would reopen the Pak-Afghan border at Torkham and Chaman after proper management.

He said Pakistan wanted proper management of Pak-Afghan border to stop infiltration of terrorists from Afghanistan into Pakistan. He claimed that India was using Afghanistan against Pakistan.He also claimed that peace in Afghanistan was vital for peace in Pakistan.

“We stop border because our children, forces are martyred from Afghanistan side,” he maintained.

At the same time, the minister also requested the lawmakers not to mix “national issues” with the Pakhtun issue. He claimed that the Punjab government has directed law enforcers not to target the Pakhtun. He said, “Some political parties were making political point scoring over it.”

Speaking on the occasion, Leader of Opposition in NA Khurshid Shah said, “Everyone knows who are supporters/facilitators of terrorists. Increase in terrorism is a concern for everyone.”

He claimed that peace in Afghanistan was a must for peace in Pakistan. He regretted that Pakistan was in a state of war but the government never took parliament into confidence. Over the defence minister’s statement, Shah demanded to summon a joint parliamentary sitting to brief lawmakers over India-Afghanistan alliance against Pakistan. He claimed that the entire opposition would support the government if the statement was true.

PTI lawmaker Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the House Pakistan and Afghanistan have long shared border and fight with Afghanistan would not give any positive results. He said both countries should resolve their issues through talks. He said the PTI played a constructive role and support the government over national issues such as 21st Amendment and establishment of military courts.

Earlier, lawmakers from various political parties raise the issue of crackdown on the Pakhtun in Punjab and Sindh. They claimed that the Pakhtun were being arrested even if they carry their identity cards with them. They claimed that in Mandi Bahauddin, police issued notices to keep a vigilant eye on the Pakhtun residents.

PTI lawmaker Ghulam Sarwar Khan said the Pakhtun lived across Pakistan and after the recent wave of terrorism, discrimination was carried out against them.

“Nowadays the situation in Punjab province is very alarming, especially for Pathan, who went there to work,” he said.

He showed his surprise that Chaman and Torkham borders were closed soon after terrorists rocked Lahore but Wagha border remained open.