PML-N to end military operations in tribal areas

Islamabad, Oct 14: The Pakistan Muslim League-N has reportedly called for an immediate end to the military operation in tribal areas, saying that it would give its suggestions on the so-called war-on-terror in parliament only after the government's policy was announced. PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that his party believed that the military operation would not solve the problem of terrorism. "This issue will not be resolved through bombs or military. It is a fact recognised worldwide that the success ratio of military operations against terrorism is only seven per cent. The most successful way of resolving the terrorism issue is political dialogue," he said, adding that if the US could hold talks with militants in Iraq and Afghanistan, why could this not be done in Pakistan.

"How can we solve a puzzle when we are shown only one part of it," the Dawn quoted Iqbal as saying.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the in-camera briefing given by the military, the PML-N leader said that his party was interested in the government's policy and not in the performance or achievements of the armed forces in the troubled tribal areas. "A state institution does not represent the whole government," he added.

Iqbal was of the view that the government should first apprise parliament of its policy and priorities on the war-on-terror and then ask the military authorities to give "tactical briefing".

When asked if his party would take part in the debate in parliament on the issue of terrorism, he said the whole exercise of in-camera session would be useless unless the government came up with a clear-cut policy.

ANI