PM's APC on terrorism postponed due to Turkiye visit: Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on Tuesday that All Parties Conference (APC) convened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on terrorism has been postponed due to the latter’s earthquake-hit Turkiye visit, ARY News reported.

The death toll in Turkey from a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake rose to 2,921 on Tuesday.

The confirmed death toll across the two countries has soared above 4,300 after a swarm of strong tremors near the Turkey-Syria border — the largest of which measured at a massive 7.8-magnitude.

The new count brings the confirmed death toll in Turkey and neighbouring Syria to 4,365, after a quake considered to be the strongest to hit the region in nearly a century.

The minister shared the news on Twitter, saying: “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for Ankara tomorrow morning to offer his condolences to the government and people of Turkey over the deadly earthquake.”

READ: EARTHQUAKE STRIKES TURKIYE, SYRIA; MORE THAN 1400 DEAD, MANY TRAPPED

“Due to the prime minister’s visit to Turkey, the APC convened on February 9 has been postponed,” she said, adding that a new date will be announced in consultation with the allies.

وزیراعظم شہباز شریف کل صبح انقرہ روانہ ہوں گے، وہ صدر اردوان سے زلزلے کی تباہی، جانی نقصان پر افسوس اور تعزیت،ترکیہ کے عوام سے یک جہتی کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم کے دورہ ترکیہ کی وجہ سے جمعرات 9 فروری کو بلائی گئی اے پی سی مؤخر کی جا رہی ہے، اتحادیوں کی مشاورت سے نئی تاریخ کا اعلان ہوگا

— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) February 7, 2023

Earlier, the federal government rescheduled the APC for February 9 and also changed its venue. The conference was earlier scheduled for February 7.

Last week, PM Shehbaz had called an APC on February 7, inviting all national political leaders, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, to deliberate on national challenges, including economic crisis and rising terrorism.

The premier announced the APC days after the Peshawar Police Lines carnage, which killed more than 90 people when a suicide bomber blew himself up during Zuhr prayers inside a mosque.