The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Jaffar Express hijacking incident, vowing to take strict action against those destabilising the country.
The resolution, presented by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, expressed grave concern over the attack and reaffirmed the House’s commitment to national security.
The text of the resolution categorically rejected all extremist ideologies that pose a threat to Pakistan’s stability, declaring that no such elements would be allowed to operate within the country.
It also praised the security forces for their swift and successful operation in rescuing the hostages.
“The entire nation stands in solidarity with the innocent citizens who lost their lives in this tragic incident,” the resolution stated, adding that terrorism must be confronted with a unified national strategy.
Speaking on the floor of the House, MNA Farooq Sattar emphasised that condemnation alone would not suffice, urging the government and all political parties to take concrete measures to prevent future terrorist attacks.
“Our security forces have carried out a successful operation to rescue the hostages. Now, it is the responsibility of the entire political leadership to come together and formulate a comprehensive strategy against threats to national security,” he asserted.
Khawaja Asif slams PTI over ‘propaganda’
Speaking during a session of the National Assembly, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif lauded the military’s swift response to the attack, calling it a "milestone in the war against terrorism."
He accused PTI of spreading misinformation by claiming that the hostages were released by the militants themselves rather than being rescued by security forces.
“The terrorist incidents of the past three days were manipulated by PTI’s social media team to create a misleading narrative. They suggested that the army did not intervene and that the hostages were freed by the attackers. This propaganda was orchestrated by their members living abroad, including known fugitives,” he said.
The minister further alleged that PTI had a history of supporting military interventions, stating, “Those who were nurtured under martial law now question the sacrifices of our armed forces.
PTI was in power for four years, during which General Bajwa and Faiz Hameed briefed them on counterterrorism efforts, yet they now disown their past associations.
Bilawal urges unity, says enemies exploiting internal discord
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned that global powers, terrorists, and the country’s adversaries were taking advantage of internal divisions, urging national unity to counter the resurging threat of terrorism.
Speaking in the National Assembly during a debate on the Jaffer Express tragedy, Bilawal strongly condemned all forms of terrorism, stating that both Pakistan and the PPP have suffered immensely due to extremist violence. “An attempt was made to kidnap me from the Prime Minister’s House. My mother, Benazir Bhutto, was martyred because of terrorism,” he reminded the House.
Bilawal stressed that terrorism was not a new challenge for Pakistan, adding that the nation had previously fought together to rid the country of militancy. “From ordinary citizens to the police and the armed forces, everyone made sacrifices in this war,” he said.
Recalling the APS tragedy, he highlighted how all political parties had set aside their differences to implement the National Action Plan (NAP), which had significantly weakened terrorist networks in the past. “But unfortunately, we have lost the gains we made against terrorism. The flames of militancy have reignited, and we are facing a more dangerous period than before,” he said.
