TTP talks: Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan seeks details of PCNS meeting

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan has taken up the issue of ongoing talks with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Upper House, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said that the present government has turned the parliament into a rubber stamp regarding the TTP talks. He expressed suspicions that after finalising an agreement with TTP, the matter will be brought to the parliament.

Senator Khan has said that they reject the meeting of the so-called Parliamentary Committee on the National Security (PCNS). He added that he is also a member of the national security committee but he was not summoned to the meeting.

The JI senator said that selected persons have been summoned to the PCNS meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He said that the details of the PCNS meeting must be shared with the parliamentarians.

حکومت @GovtofPakistan کا ٹی ٹی پی سے مذاکرات، مذاکرات کا ایجنڈا ، نکات اور اس حوالے سے ہونے والے اقدمات کی تفصیل پارلیمنٹ کے سامنے لائے۔ پارلیمنٹ کو ignore کر کے مذاکرات کرنے پر افسوس ہے۔ @CMShehbaz نے پارلیمنٹ کو ربڑ اسٹمپ/انگوٹھا چھاپ بنادیاہے۔@BBhuttoZardari @ForeignOfficePk pic.twitter.com/bIyACAQ6yZ

— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (@SenatorMushtaq) June 23, 2022

PCNS meeting

The political and military top brass had held an important session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) under the chair of PM Shehbaz Sharif yesterday.

According to the declaration, the national security institutions briefed the parliamentarians on the internal and external security challenges. The participants were also briefed on the ongoing talks with the proscribed TTP. The institutions apprised the PCNS members regarding the background of TTP talks and its timeline.

The Pakistani government is holding negotiations with the banned TTP that is being facilitated by the Afghan government.

A negotiation committee comprising civil and military representatives are holding talks with the TTP ‘within the ambit of the Constitution’ under the supervision of the federal government and the final decision will be made after the approval of the parliament, it read.

Moreover, the members were apprised about the administrative affairs of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The members were told that Pakistan played a constructive role in peace and stability in Afghanistan which will be continued, whereas, Afghan soil will not be used against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts and sacrifices have been globally acknowledged and there is no organised terrorist infrastructure in any part of Pakistan. The political leadership expressed satisfaction over the progress and strategy to cope with the national security affairs.