ISLAMABAD: The killings in Quetta followed by riots in the city dominated the Senate session on Wednesday, as the treasury and the opposition senators condemned the incident.

The senators said this was not sectarian war, adding it was a conspiracy against national integrity. They also took the government to task for its failure in maintaining law and order. They demanded dismissal of Inspector General of Police Shoaib Suddle Shoaib Suddle.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal senators linked the recent visit of US ambassador to Balochistan to the killings. The senators also feared for the life of an injured attacker in police custody.

Sanaullah Baloch, Raza Khan Raza and Pari Gul Agha, who are from Balochistan, made passionate speeches, saying their homes and cities were allowed to be burned by law enforcement agencies and people were left at the mercy of rioters for five hours.

Senator Azizullah linked the visit of US envoy Nancy Powel to Balochistan with the killings in Quetta. He said this was a big conspiracy against the people of Balochistan, adding it was an issue of Shia-Sunni conflict. He said, "we all need to understand that big guns were involved in this conspiracy."

He hinted at a "bigger game plan", saying when common people were not allowed to keep a knife with them, how the culprits managed to take ammunition and guns with them to protected and sealed areas of Quetta. He also criticized Shoaib Suddle, saying that he had a violent service record. During his posting in Karachi, the senator said, Suddle made the city a hell and now he was doing same in Balochistan.

Prof Khursheed Ahmed of MMA said this was not a sectarian violence as the Sunnis and the Shias were Muslims and followers of one God, one prophet and one book. He however lamented that once again the government had taken the cover of inquiry report. He also lamented the government’s apathy towards the victims, saying the president, the prime minister or any of the federal ministers bothered to visit Quetta.

Baloch nationalist Sannaullah Baloch said terrorists were free to do anything with lives of innocent and unarmed people. He said how could the government claim that it had made foolproof security arrangements for the safety of procession. He also questioned the role of the secret agencies.

Baloch said Balochstan was witnessing the unrest for the last many years and whenever Baloch and Pakthoon nationalists tried to raise the issue in the parliament they were simply dismissed on the ground that they all were enemies of the federation. He said they wanted to save Balochistan. He demanded a Senate committee to probe the issue. Baloch lashed out at Shoaib Suddle and said from the day he took the charge of his position, Balochistan was burning.

He said the government never accepted its responsibility and none of the ministers felt the need to visit the area. Prof Ghafoor Ahmed said the secret agencies were consuming public funds but failed to perform their duties.

Raza Khan Raza said this violence was against the Baloch and Pakthoons. He termed the killings as state terrorism. He said billions of rupees were lost during the riots and none of the government agencies intervened to save the people. He said the sectarian war was started by the secret agencies at the behest of late General Ziaul Haq. He said Shoaid Suddle was not answerable to governor and the chief minister but only to General Pervez Musharraf.

But the most passionate speech was made by the ruling party Senator, Pari Gul Agha, who criticized her government. She said the government was simply issuing statements and the people were being butchered. She said the ministers simply come and give statements in the house and forget every thing the very next day.

Gul, who comes from Quetta, narrated tales of violence in Quetta and said it seemed that no law existed on Tuesday when unarmed people were put to sword. She wanted the chairman Soomro to take some radical decisions in the upper house to give the loud message to all that at least the senators were alive to miseries and problem of the innocent people.

APP adds: The Senate resumed debate on the presidential address to the joint sitting of the Parliament on January 17. Dr Nighat Mirza taking part in the debate said the president in his speech mentioned about the poverty alleviation, corruption and economic development.

She said it was for the first time that a president presented all facts before the joint session of the Parliament and suggested a course of action to tackle the challenges facing the nation. She said the president highlighted almost all-important points, which shows his sincerity with the nation. She also appreciated Musharraf for taking bold steps to eliminate corruption from the society.

Prof Muhammad Ibrahim called upon the opposition to adopt constructive and positive attitude for the stability of the country and welfare of the people. He acknowledged the point regarding unity among Muslim Ummah and said in the current international scenario their unity is imperative. The senator said credit goes to president for taking people of the country into confidence on all national issues.

Senator Zafar Iqbal appreciated policies of President Musharraf and said economic situation of the country was improving with every passing day. Only the issuance of Euro Bonds brought US$ 500 million to the foreign exchange reserves.

He said the situation in stock market was stable and condition of national institutions like PIA and Railways was also improving. Due to policies of the present government, he said the Kashmir issue has once again come to the limelight and the world community has appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to resolve the issue through peaceful dialogue. He called for an independent and strong judiciary and proposed salary increase and more facilities for judges.