ISLAMABAD, Oct 14: Opposition lawmakers, especially those of the PML-N, criticised the ‘civilian’ briefing on the war on terror given on Tuesday by Information Minister Sherry Rahman in the joint session of the two houses of parliament and termed it shallow and inadequate. The government decided to continue the joint session for another five days for lawmakers’ queries and a general debate.

The house started its proceedings at around 12 noon and the session was adjourned at 2pm to meet again on Wednesday.

The minister explained the situation in the war on terror with the help of slides and a film.

MNA Ayaz Amir and Senators Iqbal Zafar Jhagra of PML-N and Kamil Ali Agha of PML-Q criticised the briefing and called the exercise part of the government’s propaganda campaign. They said that ministers should provide in-depth briefings and answer their questions. This led to a commotion in the house and National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza adjourned the session.

Khurram Dastagir Khan of the PML-N told reporters after the session: “We are not satisfied with the briefing because lawmakers were not allowed to raise questions… It was just fancy talk seeking to maintain the status quo in the war on terror inherited from the military dictator.”

Prof Khurshid Ahmed of the Jamaat Islami criticised the inclusion of national anthem at the end of the briefing and said: “The briefing was not up to our expectations. It did not indicate any shift in the … policy in war on terror.”

However, sources close to the minister for information said that her comprehensive briefing was praised by everyone except PML-N members who criticised “various details perhaps under a pre-planned strategy”.

The sources said that the briefing proved “beyond any doubt” that the country was in the grip of militancy and extremism and if the nation did not realise the gravity of the situation, it might spin out of control.

They said that while the PML-N rejected the arguments which proved that the country was in danger, the International Committee of Red Cross declared that Pakistan was caught in a war which was more serious than in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sources quoted the minister as saying that the militants were trying to impose their writ in tribal areas and some settled areas of the NWFP and they were attacking security forces and sending suicide bombers.

Speaking about the pre-Sept 11, 2001, situation in Pakistan, the minister said that Taliban and jihadi organisations had existed even before that period. Taliban, she said, turned against Pakistan when it joined the international coalition against terrorism.

After Sept 11, she said, parliament had never tried to forge a national consensus on ways of handling extremism and militancy to enable the nation to face the grave threat to Pakistan’s integrity. The militants, she said, wanted to impose their extremist ideology on the people of Pakistan.

She also mentioned the government’s three-pronged strategy to tackle extremism: dialogue with elements who surrender, social development and use of force as a last resort.

Meanwhile, an official handout issued by the speaker’s secretariat said: “Dr Fehmida Mirza chaired a meeting of the leaders and representatives of the parliamentary parties in Senate and National Assembly at the Parliament House which decided to continue the sitting for five days (and to hold) a question-answer session on Wednesday, followed by discussion on Thursday, that will continue for four days.

“It was also decided that ample time would be given to members to express their views.

“The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Senators Mian Raza Rabbani, Farooq H. Naek, Haji Adeel, Kamil Ali Agha, Prof Khrshid Ahmad, Israrullah Khan, Dr Abdul Malik, Ms Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, Rahim Mandokhel, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq Abdul Razik, Zafar Iqbal Jhagra and MNAs Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Syed Khurshid Shah, Abdul Mateen Khan, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, Jadam Mangrio, Munir Khan Orakzai, Abdul Mateen Khan, Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada.”