- PM, interior minister give final touches to APC arrangements, national security policy
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to give final touches to the government’s proposed national security policy to be presented in the all-parties conference scheduled for Monday, with an objective to evolve consensus among all political and institutional stakeholders over the government’s plan to hold talks with militant forces.
An official statement said that during the meeting, the interior minister apprised the prime minister about the overall law and order prevailing in the country, particularly in Karachi.
However, a source in the government told Pakistan Today that the main focus of the meeting was to fine tune the government’s strategy in order to narrow down differences between political and military leadership over talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as politicians wanted to give dialogue a chance while the military leadership viewed that talks would provide a breather to the militants to regroup and join forces to go for fresh attacks on military and civilian targets across the country.
“The military feels that time was ripe to unite the entire nation on a one-point agenda. They have shared their concerns about holding talks with the militants as such efforts have only resulted in providing the miscreants breathers and time to regroup and launch fresh attacks. However, they have assured the government that the army will follow any decision by civilian leadership,” the source added.
The interior minister also apprised the prime minister of contacts made with political leaders for the APC. Prime Minister Nawaz gave special directives to Nisar that all political parties should be offered representation in Monday’s conference that would discuss contours of the draft counter-terrorism strategy.
The conference will also seek views of political leaders on whether to go for dialogue or use state power to curb terrorism.
Separately, Nisar also called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and extended him an invitation to attend the multi-party moot.
The interior minister already has invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Syed Munawar Hasan and leaders of other parties.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif telephoned PML-F chief Pir Sibgatullah Shah Rashidi and invited him to the APC. Both leaders also discussed the political situation prevalent in the country.
Karachi law and order:
Nisar also briefed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the law and order in Karachi. The source said the interior minister informed the prime minister about legal hiccups regarding giving powers to Rangers for launching a targeted operation in Karachi.
The source added that Nisar briefed the PM about the feedback by the task force headed by Science and Technology Minister Zahid Hamid, who is the legal wizard of the federal government.
During the meeting, the prime minister reiterated the resolve of his government to take all-out measures for the restoration of peace in Karachi. The prime minister emphasised the need for enhancing coordination among law enforcement agencies through intelligence sharing and joint actions for effectively checking crime in the city.
He directed the minister for interior to take stringent measures for the maintenance of peace and security in the country.
The prime minister said improved coordination between intelligence bodies and law enforcement agencies was imperative to combating crime in the country’s financial capital, adding that his government would do its utmost to ensure peace in Karachi and would offer no leniency to criminals.
