PM Shehbaz ready to build consensus on counterterrorism if opposition willing to: Sanaullah

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said the federal government was ready to invite all political parties and build consensus on counterterrorism.</p> <p>Speaking in the Senate, the PML-N leader also urged the opposition to “set other demands aside”.</p> <p>The PM’s aide’s remarks come after the Centre <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2036352/emergency-governors-rule-imposed-in-kp-as-president-approves-cabinet-decision"><u>imposed</u></a> emergency and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2036389/info-minister-alleges-nexus-between-pti-led-kp-govt-terrorists"><u>citing</u></a> the PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The decisions were also endorsed by the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2037325/joint-sitting-of-parliament-endorses-emergency-governors-rule-in-kp-amid-opposition-outcry"><u>Parliament</u></a> last week amid protests by the opposition.</p> <p>“Even now, if all parties [..] can agree to sit down to discuss this issue, then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is willing to invite them and find a way forward (on counterterrorism) or how operations can be supported by the entire nation,” Sanaullah said, urging political parties to put other demands aside and “stand united” in tackling terrorism.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2038472'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2038472" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>Sanaullah went on to criticise National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai.</p> <p>“He became the leader of the opposition after the speaker signed off on his appointment; however, [..] he does not accept the speaker’s authority and is not even ready to meet the prime minister and has even refused to sit in the speaker’s chambers with the PM,” Sanaullah said.</p> <p>Sanaullah then turned his attention to the rise in terrorism in the country, expressing sorrow at the martyrdom of an army officer a day earlier.</p> <p>Addressing the opposition, he said, “You are running propaganda against the head of this institution and [..] making below-the-belt remarks.”</p> <p>The PML-N senator also assailed the members of the now non-functional PTI-led KP government for not attending apex committee meetings.</p> <p>“In 11 months, there was one apex committee meeting in which the KP CM was in attendance, and the way he was brought there, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi already spoke about it,” Sanaullah said.</p> <p>Recalling the federal government’s talks with the PTI earlier this month, Sanaullah said: “During the talks, we agreed on constituting a political committee comprising members from both sides; however, [..] the talks broke down on one single point — the PTI fulfilling its responsibilities and supporting the federal government in counterterrorism efforts.”</p> <h2><a id="chaudhry-reiterates-invitation-to-opposition" href="#chaudhry-reiterates-invitation-to-opposition" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" title="Permalink"></a>Chaudhry reiterates invitation to opposition</h2> <p>Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also invited opposition parties to develop a consensus against terrorism, saying Pakistan’s peace and the future of its children depended on a united stance against the menace.</p> <p>“I extended an invitation yesterday, and today I am once again inviting all opposition parties to come forward and build a consensus against terrorism,” he said while speaking to the media.</p> <p>“Why can we not develop a consensus, at least on this issue?” he asked.</p> <p>Chaudhry said political differences should not be allowed to compromise the national interest, adding that peace and prosperity required a collective effort.</p> <p>The minister said controlling terrorism in KP was practically impossible without the provincial government’s full cooperation with federal institutions, the Pakistan Army and security agencies.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/RadioPakistan/status/2112474759778963631'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/RadioPakistan/status/2112474759778963631"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>He said the provincial government had refused to cooperate with the federal government on its Afghanistan policy, particularly efforts to prevent cross-border infiltration.</p> <p>“This was the only reason why the emergency was imposed,” he said, referring to the decision concerning the administration of KP.</p> <p>Criticising the PTI, Chaudhry regretted that the party was not prepared to condemn terrorism.</p> <p>“One is that we have to rid Pakistan of terrorism once and for all, and the second is the position of your party, which was in power in KP. The PTI is not even prepared to condemn terrorism,” he said.</p> <p>He said networks linked to terrorists, smuggling operations and influential people patronising them had contributed to the persistence of terrorism in the province.</p> <p>However, Chaudhry said the provincial government was now extending full cooperation and expressed hope that results would become visible soon. He added that counterterrorism operations would continue until the menace was eliminated.</p> <p>Rejecting the impression that the federal government’s move concerning KP was driven by a power struggle, he said the objective was to restore peace.</p> <p>“This is not a power game; it is a peace game,” he said, adding that advisory councils comprising tribal elders had been established in 12 districts to empower local communities and facilitate intelligence-based operations in consultation with them.</p> <p>Drawing a comparison with Balochistan, Chaudhry said the provincial administration and Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti were working alongside law enforcement agencies and federal institutions to combat terrorism.</p> <p>He added that the Balochistan government had not refused to cooperate with the federal government, adding that this was the difference between the two provinces.</p> <p>In the days preceding the imposition of governor’s rule in KP, political tensions between the Centre and the opposition — including the PTI, which was in power in KP — had remained high since jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party announced a <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2036185">protest march</a> to Islamabad to demand his release.</p> <p>Intense <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2034465/after-hours-of-negotiations-second-round-of-govt-opposition-talks-ends-in-a-deadlock">negotiations</a> between the two sides a week before the imposition of governor’s rule had failed to yield any results, with counterterrorism policy being one of the main <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2034734/pti-terms-access-to-imran-principal-point-of-deadlock-claims-centre-refused-to-include-it-in-agreement"><u>reasons</u></a> behind the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2034693/naqvi-says-talks-with-opposition-have-collapsed-accuses-kp-cm-of-sabotaging-negotiations"><u>breakdown</u></a> of their talks.</p> <p>The PTI said it was being left out of security decisions concerning KP, which the Centre <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2035383#:~:text=being%20left%20out%20of%20decisions%20concerning%20the%20Centre%E2%80%99s%20counterterrorism%20policy%20was%20%E2%80%9Ccompletely%20wrong%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9Cmisleading"><u>denied</u></a>. It also called for reviewing the counterterrorism policy, while the latter <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2033266"><u>criticised</u></a> the KP government’s efforts to combat terrorism in the province and objected to its <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2032947"><u>stance</u></a> on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.</p> <p>Soon after, the Centre also <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2036387/pakistan-army-deployed-in-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-in-aid-of-civil-power"><u>authorised the deployment</u></a> of Pakistan Army troops and assets in aid of civil power in KP.</p> <p>Federal ministers have also <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2036389/naqvi-says-centre-tried-to-take-kp-govt-on-board-in-counterterror-fight?lang=fi"><u>alleged</u></a> that the PTI-led government in KP had a “nexus” with terrorist groups, stating that the province’s security situation necessitated the imposition of emergency there.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.