Fawad urges opposition to participate in National Security Committee meeting

Fawad urges opposition to participate in National Security Committee meeting

Web Desk
December 3, 2021

Fawad urges opposition to participate in National Security Committee meeting

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Friday that the opposition’s decision to boycott the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security was regrettable.

In a tweet, the minister said that it was for the first time in seven decades that a government was going to present its security policy before the parliament.

“The opposition’s boycott of the parliament’s National Security Committee meeting is regrettable. For the first time in seven decades, a government is presenting its security policy before the parliament,” said the minister.

اپوزیشن کا پارلیمان کی قومی سلامتی کمیٹی کی میٹنگ کا بائیکاٹ افسوسناک ہے، سات دہائیوں میں پہلی بار کوئ حکومت اپنی سیکیورٹی پالیسی پارلیمان کو پیش کر رہی ہے یہ سیاسی معاملہ نہیں بلکہ قومی سلامتی کا معاملہ ہے، اپوزیشن اپنے فیصلے پر نظرثانی کرے اور سنجیدگی سے اجلاس میں شرکت کرے

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 3, 2021

Chaudhry said it was a political issue, but a matter of national security and urged the opposition to review its decision and participate in the meeting.

The opposition on Thursday had announced that they would boycott the in-camera briefing of the Parliamentary National Security Committee.

The opposition made the decision, it claimed, after seeing the government’s attitude in the last joint sitting of parliament. In the session, the government had bulldozed multiple bills, including the controversial law dealing with electronic voting machines, it added.

Following consultations, the opposition issued a joint statement stating that the government had informed that the in-camera briefing of the committee will be held on December 6. The briefing is supposed to be given by National Security Advisor Dr Moeed Yousuf.

“In the past too, we have always played a historic role in safeguarding, guarding and promoting the rights and interests of the country and the people. Affiliations paid off. But it is very unfortunate that the government is adopting the policy of using parliament as a rubber stamp,” noted the statement.

The opposition alleged that important national and public issues were not being brought in Parliament.

“In such circumstances, such an ‘in-camera’ briefing would merely pave the way for a new government spectacle that had nothing to do with the performance of serious and critical issues facing the country and the people or progress towards their solution,” said the opposition.