ISLAMABAD Nov 10 (TNS): The government is unaware of how much the war against terrorism has cost the country.
This was revealed during the question-answer session in the Senate on Friday.
Responding to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Chaudhry Tanveer’s query from the Finance Ministry regarding the cost of the war, the reply stated that the Interior Ministry is yet to reply to the Finance Ministry’s query in this regard.
As the relevant minister was not present during the session, former state interior minister and Federal Education Minister Baleeghur Rehman said that the government does not have details and a breakdown of the cost.
He added that it can only be estimated as to how much was incurred since a breakdown of the total cost would be a cumbersome process.
Expressing his shock over the response, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani came down hard on the government for not knowing how much cost has been incurred in the war against terrorism. “The government will [at some point] have to answer this question,” he asserted.
Earlier, as the question-answer session began, the Senate chairman was irked at the absence of relevant ministers.
In response, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement Senator Atiq Shiekh commented that when there’s no governance in the entire country, what you expect in Parliament.
Later, education minister Rehman appeared in the Senate and apologised, saying he thought the proceedings would start later than they did.
“Is the country being run from abroad,” asked Rabbani after noting that the state ministers for energy and statistics are not in the country.
