ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister of State for Education and Professional Training, Interior and Narcotics Control Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman on Friday assured the Senate that there was no political prisoner in any jail throughout the country.
Concluding the discussion on ‘political prisoners’ in the Upper House, the minister said that the present government believed that making political prisoners a wrong way and it was very clear about this policy.
He said that the government was successfully implementing National Action Plan (NAP) that reduced and restricted the terrorists activities in the country. He added due to NAP, terrorists were unable to fulfil their nefarious designs.
He added now culprits behind these incidents were being captured which was not possible in past. He said that today no major incidents of terrorism were being reported anywhere from the country due to NAP and strategies of the government against terrorism.
He said that all success achieved against terrorism was due to the sacrifices of innocent students of Army Public School (APS). He said the whole nation will remember their sacrifices.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said that Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had faced great hardships and rendered great sacrifices for democracy.
He said that both leaders had several options but they remained committed to their cause and lost their own lives but didn’t compromise.
Taking part in the debate, Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan said the political leaders of the country had rendered a lot of sacrifices for sack of democracy.
He said media intellectuals, poet and political workers have also a lot of contribution for strengthening the democracy in the country.
Senator Sassui Palijo said that there should be no poetical prisoners in democratic traditions. She said that leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) remained political prisoners during the era of dictatorship.
Senator Shibli Faraz said that there was no political prisoner at present adding that political parties should sack those who are preferring their self-interest.
Senator Mian Attique said the elected Mayor of Karachi was remained political prisoner till four months.
Senators including Sehr Kamran, Nehyal Hashmi, Mir Kabeer, Atta-ur-Rehman, Taj Haider, Sardar Muhammad Azam, Hafiz Hamd-Ullah, Barrister Saif, Mohsin Aziz and Sherry Rehman participated in the debate.