Re: The growing civilian consensus
in another good move, the government is set to get approval for the operation in parliament and senate. According to this article it is expected to pass, which would reflect broad consensus.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/19d866804e0e63628807abf80713ea77/nat_608.jpg?MOD=AJPERES
**Parliament set to debate Swat operation **](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/05-parliament-set-to-debate-swat-operation-01)
ISLAMABAD: As the National Assembly begins a special session on Monday, the government seemed set to win the first parliamentary approval for a renewed war against militants in the north-west after the failure of a controversial peace deal.
A debate on the new full-scale military operation, mainly in Swat valley, will be the highlight of the hurriedly called session, which government sources hoped would reflect a new wave of awakening about dangers posed to the country by Taliban militants.
The lower house, due to meet at 5pm after only 13 days’ break, will straight away go into a discussion on the latest situation in Swat and four other troubled districts of the Malakand division after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ordered what he called a decisive action against ‘terrorists and extremists’ for dishonouring their peace agreement with the NWFP government in exchange for the enforcement of the Nizam-i-Adl regulation.
Even though the military action is causing large-scale displacement of population, a parliamentary source said the PPP-led coalition government was likely to move a resolution in the house to endorse the war effort, which comes soon after its April 13 approval of the peace deal recommended by President Asif Ali Zardari.
A session of the Senate, the source said, might also be called later to seek a similar endorsement, that could give the 13-month-old government a big political boost after suffering a great loss of credibility due to broken promises over the restoration of deposed judges and imposition of governor’s rule in the Punjab province – although both irritants were rectified later under new compulsions.
The new situation has developed during President Zardari’s visit to the United States that is marked by Washington’s new financial commitments to help Pakistan tide over its economic problems and fight terrorism.
Pakistan’s key role in the US-led so-called ‘war against terrorism’ has been bitterly criticised in parliament during both the previous military-led regime and the present government’s more than 13 months in office, although the opposition parties, which changed roles after the Feb 18, 2008 general election, failed to force a policy change. Neither government ever attempted to get a parliamentary vote on the issue.
But the situation seems to have changed now after the Swat militants apparently shot themselves in the foot by going back on their commitment on the peace deal even after their main demand for the Sharia regulation was met, virtually rejecting Pakistan’s constitution and its superior courts, and continuing barbaric killings and other activities to enforce their own brand of Sharia that only caused revulsion at home and abroad.
While most mainstream parties have already supported the latest military action in Malakand, political sources wondered whether some religious parties known for a soft corner for the Taliban would find it advisabe to oppose it in parliament.
A new national outcry against militancy seems to have even overshadowed complaints of violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty by anti-militant missile strikes into the Federally Administered Tribal Areas by US drones.