ISLAMABAD: Amid national challenges and security concerns faced by Pakistan in recent times, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an All Parties Conference (APC) on February 7, 2023. The alarming situation of Pakistan’s security has pushed PM Shehbaz to also invite Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI), the arch-rivals of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).
According to details and media reports, PM Shehbaz Sharif has invited all the political leaders of Pakistan to sit together and join heads to seek solutions for the national challenges, increasing terrorism, and economical crisis. Federal Minister Ayaz Sadiq has been assigned the job of contacting leaders of PTI. Ayaz Sadiq will contact Asad Qaiser and Pervaiz Khattak to participate in the conference.
Other than the APC, an apex meeting has also been called by the PM in the governor’s house, and PTI leaders are also invited to participate. Representatives of police, rangers, intelligence agencies and the political leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will attend the meeting.
The initiative to join all parties came after the horrific incident in Peshawar, where a suicide bomb attack in a mosque martyred 100 people. However, after the blast, the political leaders were busy blaming each other instead of finding a viable solution. The incumbent government and its allies believed that the policies of PTI regarding militants and allowing them space in Pakistan had culminated in the form of recent terrorist attacks.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI government gave shelter to 8,000 militants and their 25,000 family members as an opportunity to surrender. He commented that though the policy had good intentions, the decision proved to be wrong.
Recently, the National Assembly was divided on the agenda of initiating a military operation in the tribal areas. Religious parties opposed the agenda by stating that previous operations were not fruitful and the local population had to face huge losses.
