Pak FM says military courts required to counter fresh wave of militancy

Islamabad [Pakistan], Feb. 19 (ANI): Pakistan's Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said a consensus must be reached within the country's political class for extending the tenure of military courts to counter the fresh wave of militancy gripping the country. Dar said that he had telephone conversations with several parliamentary leaders on the issue. He said he had spoken with Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and Maulana Attaur Rahman. Dar said that he had flagged recent militant strikes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Peshawar, Lahore, Quetta, Awaran, and Sehwan Sharif, and described as heart wrenching to see so many precious lives being lost to terror in all four provinces. The finance minister said that there is a need for an effective and well-coordinated response to counter the ongoing terror menace, according to an official release on Press Information Department's website. "Continuation of the military courts was essential for ensuring continuation of the momentum of anti terrorism campaign and the political leadership in the Parliament needed to show unity as well as complete unanimity of views on this issue," he said. Dar said there can be no compromise insofar as the safety and security of the nation's citizens are concerned. He said parliamentary leaders have agreed with his point of view on giving a well-coordinated and fitting response to the terrorist threat. Dar said that he has asked National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to convene a meeting of a parliamentary committee to discuss the issue of extending the tenure of military courts as soon as possible. (ANI)