Exposing past political events: PM wants formation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has floated the idea of formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with consensus of all the political parties, so that the facts shaping major events in the annals of history could be exposed.

In an interview, the prime minister said that the objective of formation of such a commission would not be to persecute anyone, or to award the punishment, but at least the facts behind the major events could be unfolded before the people.

The prime minister said whatever happened during Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf’s sit-in [of 2014] should also be brought before the public.

“All this can be possible through formation of a Commission with consensus in the parliament as it was practiced worldwide,” he added.

To another question, the prime minister said all the institutions in the country should work under their constitutional domains.

All the institutions including judiciary and National Accountability Bureau should give consideration whether with their acts, they were hampering the functioning of the government, he added.

About the consensus nominee to run affairs of the government during the caretaker set up, the prime minister expressed the hope that the issue could be resolved by Thursday.

“If there is no consensus, then the issue will go to the parliamentary parties committee for consideration. The last forum to address the issue is Election Commission of Pakistan,” he added.

He reiterated that elections would be held on time. “The country can no longer afford ploys of entering through back-doors,” he emphasized.

He maintained that any delay caused in the holding of elections would amount to constitutional violation.

The prime minister further elaborated about the commission that he was in favour of sifting through the history of last seventy years and would support whoever would be in the government.

He also cautioned to learn from the bitter lessons of the past and insisted on finding solutions to all issues under the constitution.

He said it was his opinion that the judicial activism and the NAB’s actions were causing immense loss to the country. Under such conditions, the government functionaries were not performing due to lingering fear of being dragged in the courts, he said.

He insisted that all the institutions should focus on their responsibilities and avoid interfering into the domains of others. The chief executive was accountable if it did not perform well, he added.

About merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the prime minister said efforts were afoot with all the political parties on board.

The prime minister said the tribal areas would retain their national assembly seats whereas delimitation for the provincial assembly seats would be done after one year.

The prime minister also termed the Panama issue as ‘mere a political case’.