The federal government has called on opposition parties to set aside other issues and sit down for serious discussions on counterterrorism. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah made the appeal during a Senate session on Tuesday. He clearly stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is ready to invite all stakeholders to talk about the rising threat of terrorism in the country.
Sanaullah reminded everyone that past successful operations like Zarb-e-Azb were launched only after national consensus. He said the government remains open to dialogue and asked opposition parties to rethink their current positions. The senior PML-N leader also shared that he had suggested Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas meet the Prime Minister or visit the National Assembly Speaker’s office. According to Sanaullah, Abbas declined both options, saying he would neither meet the Prime Minister nor recognise the Speaker.
Comparing the two provinces, Sanaullah noted that the Balochistan government is fully cooperating with the armed forces and the centre. In contrast, he pointed out that the now-dysfunctional Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had repeatedly refused to allow any military operation in the province.
Separately, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry explained that an 11-member consultative committee is working under KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. He blamed PTI’s stubborn stance for the emergency measures taken in the province. Chaudhry stressed that without proper cooperation from the provincial government, fighting terrorism becomes almost impossible. He also assured that infiltration from Afghanistan would be tightly controlled and that any link between terrorists and anti-Pakistan elements would not be tolerated.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif added that some voices inside PTI are now speaking in favour of politics instead of confrontation. He said if the party moves beyond social media pressure and engages in real politics, it will find plenty of space. Asif declined to comment on other PML-N leaders’ remarks about JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman but noted that he had earlier criticised Fazl’s strong statements purely from a political angle.
The message from the government is clear. National security and the fight against terrorism must come first. All sides need to sit together and find a practical way forward.
