The government seeks a strategy as a confidential national security meeting commences.
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Asim Malik arrived at Parliament House on Tuesday to participate in the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.
The gathering is presided over by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also arrived at parliament to participate in the meeting.
The governor and chief minister of Balochistan, the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Inspector Generals of all four provinces also arrived at Parliament House. All 38 members of the federal cabinet are participating in the meeting.
The conference is led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and includes 16 members of the PPP, two members of the PML-Q, Abdul Aleem Khan from the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, Senator Jan Muhammad from the National Party, and Ijaz-ul-Haq from the PML-N.
Sources indicate that PTI’s Bashir Khan arrived to the residence but departed shortly thereafter.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq commenced the proceedings with introductory comments and extended a welcome to the participants. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will deliver a speech to the attendees.
Following the briefing by the Director General of the Intelligence Bureau, Bilawal and other legislative leaders will articulate their perspectives.
Following the talks, a question and answer session will ensue. The military leadership and intelligence agency heads will address inquiries during the meeting.
Additionally, refer to: Government seeking a ‘silver bullet’ during today’s confidential national security discussion.
An in-camera session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security is convened in Parliament House. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, has summoned a meeting at the behest of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif following the increase in terrorist occurrences, particularly the Jaffar Express disaster.
A detailed briefing on the nation’s security status will be provided to the committee members.
Security measures have been implemented at Parliament House and surrounding areas for the crucial meeting, anticipated to formulate a definitive action plan to combat terrorism.
RESISTANCE TO ABSTAIN
Parties of opposition alliance including Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) have announced boycott of the meeting.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai (PkMAP), Sahibzada Hamid Raza (SIC), Allama Nasir Abbas (MWM) and Sardar Akhtar Mengal (BNP-M) will not attend the meeting in protest against differences with the government.
The political committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stipulated that a meeting with party founder Imran Khan was a need for participation in the security session.
The PTI political committee asserted that the party leadership must be permitted to meet the imprisoned leader.
The PTI political committee let Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to attend the national security meeting.
Earlier, Opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan had written a letter to NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, demanding that he should play his role in arranging a meeting between party leaders with Imran Khan.
According to sources, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and numerous other figures advocated for attending the session, while Junaid Akbar urged for consultation with the PTI founder.
The PTI submitted a list of 14 names to the National Assembly speaker for meeting with Imran Khan.
They are Barrister Gohar, Asad Qaiser, Zartaj Gul, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Amir Dogar, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Ali Muhammad Khan, Senators Ali Zafar, Humayun Muhammad and Aon Abbas Buppi.