Youth Parliament of Pakistan 2009-2010

	News and Events
	Governor NWFP Owais Ghani addresses Youth Parliament Pakistan Time has come for Pakistan to do straight-talk; Dialogue with Taliban is a vindication of Pakistan's Viewpoint: Governor NWFP
	Islamabad, February 06, 2010; There can be no peace in the region without Pakistan and a time has come for Pakistan to do straight-talk with the World and share its viewpoint candidly. The West's new policy of dialogue with Taliban is a vindication of Pakistan's perspective that it has been sharing for the past many years. These views were expressed by Governor NWFP Mr. Owais Ghani while addressing the Youth Parliament Pakistan. Speaking on the topic of Revisiting Pakistan's Policy on Terrorism, Mr. Owais Ghani said that Pakistan has what it takes to fight every challenge. Pakistan has been saying to the West that its policy of 'global war on terror is misconstrued and faulty and which should be realistically evaluated. He said that the triumph of Pakistan is that it has firmly reversed the physical and ideological retreat to insurgents and insurgency which was experienced a while ago here. Insurgents in Pakistan are 'fasadi, not 'jehadis' and there can be no dialogue with them, said the Governor. He believed that a peaceful, progressive and friendly Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest and Pakistan has urged the West to allow Gulbadin and Taliban to come to Kabul through a political agreement. Advising Youth Parliament members, the Governor said to watch out against the globalization of culture and politics. While the globalization of trade is the need of times, there is no wisdom in imitating what so-called 'advanced' nations are doing. Sharing his views on the values of democracy, he said that the dividends of democracy have to be right quality of leadership and reflection of the desire and aspirations of the people in the system of state. He said that he had no quarrel with the statement that Parliament is sovereign as long as it remains within the confines of Quran and Sunnah according to the Constitution of Pakistan. He said that people look for simplistic solutions to the issue of terrorism which is a multi-dimensional problem with global, regional and national dimensions. Pakistan has been a victim as opposed to the aggressor that it is painted to be in the World as it is at the receiving end of weapons, militancy and drugs coming from Afghanistan. Afghanistan is not doing its job and Pakistan is blamed. He believed that Pakistan's potential is in the valiant people, armed forces and security and intelligence agencies. Anyone criticizing security and intelligence agencies wishes to weaken Pakistan, he said, advising to Youth Parliament to review international demands in this light. The members of Youth Parliament posed various questions to the Governor that he candidly answered, wishing for the Youth to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow. "I wish you encounter challenges and testing times in your life and develop a potential to overcome all," said Governor Owais Ghani. The Youth Parliament began its proceedings today through condemning the ghastly attack in Karachi on the occasion of the chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain. Presented jointly by Mr. Owais Bin Laiq (YP45-SINDH08), Mr. Hammal Muneer Jan (YP03-BALOCHISTAN02), Ms. Gul Andaam Orakzai (YP10-ICT03) and Mr. Bilal Qasmi (YP24-PUNJAB06) the motion condemned the blast in Karachi and the loss of precious lives. Youth Parliament members expressed serious concern at the security situation in the country which was beginning to hit the so-far peaceful province of Sindh. The House, which actively began discussing the topic of Revisiting Pakistan's Policy on Terrorism, witnessed a contentious debate on the question of whether or not to negotiate with the militants to contain terrorism in Pakistan. On a resolution moved by Mr. Ehsen Naveed Irfan (YP-013 NWFP-02), Ms Asbah Rahman (YP30-PUNJAB12) & Mr. Kamil Quddus (YP22-PUNJAB 04) which supported effective negotiations with militants including and a new anti-terrorism strategy for uprooting terrorism in Pakistan, where the House witnessed the need for negotiations for afar-reaching strategy, majority of the members criticized the proposals of dialogue with militants stating that the time of dialogue is over. Pakistan's state has actively pursued the policy of dialogue where needed but no dialogue can be held with those who butcher innocent people and challenge the writ of the state. The House rejected the resolution with a majority vote. Discussing what was termed as a 'reckless' policy of the Government of Pakistan to issue indiscriminate licenses of record number of unauthorized weapons, the House strongly believed that the Government, instead of promoting gun culture, should introduce a drive to de-weaponise the society. Mr. Bilal Jamaee (YP44-SINDH07) and Mr. Khizer Pervaiz (YP40-SINDH03) who moved the resolution that the present government has issued extensive licenses of unauthorized weapons and should review this policy because it will not serve the underlying purpose of maintaining law and order, in the long run, criticized federal, state and provincial portfolio-holders for their irresponsible attitude in this regard. The House also criticized the overtones of corruption in this issue and jointly demanded that the Prime Minister must order an enquiry into this issue to bring the public-office holders involved in this corruption to justice. The Youth Prime Minister Rana Amaar Farooq presented to the House his government's proposed 18^th Constitutional Amendment bill. The bill seeks to recognize Gilgit-Baltistan as a province; abolish the concurrent list altogether; amalgamation of Federally Administered and Provincially-Administered Tribal Areas into the NWFP; revoke the Frontier Crimes Regulation and amalgamate Zhob Loralai, Dalabandin districts and Marri and Bugti tribal territories as administrative districts of Balochistan. The House decided to discuss the constitutional amendment bill on its sitting scheduled for Sunday, February 07, 2010. The House also began discussing the resolution moved by Mr. Aurangzeb Khan Zalmay (YP16-NWFP05), Mr. Ali Inam(YP14-NWFP03) and Mr. Muhammad Irfan(YP07-FATA03) to re-nameNWFP as Pukhtoonistan, Pukhtoon Khwa or Afghania to recognise the long-standing demand of the people of NWFP and FATA. Due to paucity of time, however, after the introduction of the resolution, a debate could not take place and the issue was deferred for the next day's proceedings.

	Honourable Mr. Owais Ghani, Governor NWFP addressing to the Youth Parliament Pakistan 2009-10 on Revisiting Pakistan's Policy on Terrorism


	Youth Prime Minister Mr. Rana Amaar Faaruq (YP08-ICT01) presenting the 18th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the House


	Members of Youth Parliament Pakistan 2009-10

Youth Parliament of Pakistan 2008-09