Pak govt briefs leaders of political parties on regional security situation

Islamabad, Mar 4 (PTI) The Pakistan government on Wednesday arranged a closed-door briefing for leaders of various political parties to take them into confidence about the prevailing regional security situation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the meeting where security officials briefed the participants about the ongoing conflict with the Afghan Taliban and the West Asia situation in the wake of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

“The meeting was given an in-camera briefing regarding the Pakistan-Afghanistan situation, the hostilities in Iran, the Middle East and the Gulf, and Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts,” read a statement from the PM Office (PMO).

It added that the parliamentary leaders of the participating political parties “freely expressed their views”.

“The participants underscored the need for national unity, consensus and unanimity in the current circumstances,” the statement said.

It noted that the attendees hailed Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts for peace, stressed the need to intensify them and made recommendations for the plan of action.

“All participants reiterated their firm commitment for the eradication of terrorism from the country,” it said, adding that the leaders also hailed PM Shehbaz’s “move to take the entire political leadership into confidence”.

State-run Radio Pakistan reported that the parliamentary leaders of the political parties expressed their views openly. They also emphasised the need for national unity, consensus and solidarity in the current situation.

The participants appreciated Pakistan's diplomatic efforts for peace in the region. They also emphasised the need to further accelerate these diplomatic efforts and also presented suggestions on the future course of action.

All the participants reiterated their strong commitment to eradicate terrorism from the country. They also appreciated and thanked the Prime Minister for taking all political leadership into confidence in the larger interest of Pakistan.

Earlier, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Tuesday while addressing the National Assembly that PM Shehbaz invited parliamentary leaders and party heads to “sit down and develop a course of action so we can move forward”.

All leading political parties and their leaders attended the briefing, but the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf remained absent. Its leaders declared not to attend any meeting unless a meeting of party leaders with PTI jailed founder, Imran Khan, was arranged.

Those attending included Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam–Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Other party leaders included Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Abdul Aleem Khan from the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), Khalid Hussain Magsi from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Salik Hussain. PTI SH ZH ZH