All parties to be taken on board on ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ operation: Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday said that all the political parties would be taken on board before launching “Azm-e-Istehkam” operation.

Keeping in view the wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other parts, “Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is need of the hour”, Rana Sanaullah said while talking to a private television channel.

Opposition parties should bring their point of view regarding operation at the forum of Parliament, he said, adding: “We hope that all the political parties including Opposition would have the same opinion on launching the operation”.

Commenting on dialogue with Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), he said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the floor of the house had given clear statement and offered dialogue with the PTI for resolving political issues.

Expressing dismay over the stubborn attitude of PTI founder Imran Khan, Rana Sanaullah said his negative agenda is the main hurdle in talks process. He advised PTI to avoid politics of agitation and come forward for talks with the government.

In reply to a question about flaws in the system, he said it is the responsibility of all the political parties to bring the suggestions at the parliamentary forum so that we could amend the system for bright future of Pakistan. He said dialogue is the only way out to address all the issues.

The remarks came as opposition parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have opposed the Opposition Azm-e-Istehkam, announced by the government to combat terrorism.

The launching of the operation was announced in a meeting of the Central Apex Committee of National Action Plan, which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“The prime minister approved a reinvigorated and re-energised national counterterrorism campaign through the launching of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, with the consensus of all stakeholders including the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, symbolising the national resolve to eradicate extremism and terrorism from the country,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement issued after the meeting.

Today, Yusuf Raza Gilani added that his party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has reconciled with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and their objections have been addressed.

The former prime minister also emphasised that they will join the federal cabinet after consultations with the party, and that they are working to strengthen the government to control the economic situation. He noted that all parties, including the PTI, are united on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.