PTI members would attend the all-parties conference (APC) on the counterterrorism operation Azm-i-Istehkam, party founder Imran Khan said on Friday.
“PTI members will attend the APC only to listen to the government’s stance, as this is a national issue,” he said in an informal interaction with journalists at the Adiala Jail. “They will participate for the sake of the country.”
On Thursday, Aaj News while citing sources reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been considering convening the APC to take the political leadership into confidence over the counterterrorism campaign ‘Operation Azm-i-Istehkam’ after returning to Pakistan from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
It is expected the premier might summon the APC next week.
Last month, PM Shehbaz approved a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign by launching the operation ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’. It was approved with the consensus of all stakeholders including provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“Azm-i-Istehkam will integrate and synergise multiple lines of effort to combat the menaces of extremism and terrorism in a comprehensive and decisive manner,” according to a statement issued after the Central Apex Committee on National Action Plan in Islamabad.
But opposition parties expressed concerns over the operation and called for taking Parliament into confidence before taking any such decision.
Khan, who calls the shot in the party matters despite being incarcerated, expressed reservations about ‘Operation Azm-e-Istehkam’. It would further destabilise the country as Pakistan shares a 2,500km border with Afghanistan, he said.
While speaking about his political rivals, the PTI founder said that he would ask the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to file cases against Maryam Nawaz, Nawaz Sharif, and Khawaja Asif based on the available video evidence of their statements.
When asked, the former prime minister stated that the country can only be pulled out of its crises through free and fair elections, which would allow the people to elect a government of their choice.
“The country can only be rescued from these challenges in one way – by holding independent and transparent elections and handing over power to the elected government chosen by the public. Only a government elected through public power can pull Pakistan out of these crises,” he said.
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The comments come after reports that the current in-house political changes have not been able to resolve Pakistan’s pressing economic and political challenges.
Meanwhile, the Khan has reportedly directed party leaders to refrain from publicly expressing differences.
