MPs unhappy over scant security briefing

Monitoring Desk adds: On the second day of in-camera joint session of the Parliament, some of Opposition parliamentarians have demanded details highlighting efficiency of the armed and civilian intelligence departments in the ongoing operations in NWFP and other parts of the country, reported the BBC on Thursday.

However, a parliamentarian said that the army officer briefing the session extended his apology and didn’t provide details in this regard. Afterwards, Prime Minister Gilani said in the next meeting, he would be in a position to say something in this connection.

Parliamentarians both from the treasury and Opposition benches demanded of the government to arrange a detailed briefing by the officials of ISI, IB and Foreign Office. The PM said he would respond to this after having a consultation with the concerned departments.

During the session, some emotional speeches were also delivered declaring the briefing insufficient, and the government and military policies especially ongoing operations in tribal areas were criticised.

PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar and Jama'at-i-Islami’s Prof Khurshid Ahmed put forth their parties' viewpoints and demanded the government to order a halt to military operations in Swat and Bajaur.

Talking to the BBC, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that the PM had assured the MPs of a detailed briefing by Interior Advisor Rehman Malik about government’s policy in NWFP on Monday. He said his party members had not participated in question-answer session under protest.

According to a private TV channel, the PML-N has put forth a demand that former President Pervez Musharraf be made to appear in the Parliament to answer queries regarding several policies.

Lt-Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha did not give answers to the questions related to formation of policy about tribal areas, saying army was bound to abide by the policy framed by the government.