Islamabad (Pakistan News): Rana Sanaullah, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, has said that if all political parties are willing to sit together to fight terrorism, the Prime Minister is ready for talks even today. He said it was inappropriate to compare Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Balochistan on the issue of terrorism because the Balochistan government was fully cooperating with the federal government and the armed forces in counterterrorism operations, whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had opposed the operation.
Addressing a Senate session, Rana Sanaullah said all political parties and the public must adopt a united position to eliminate terrorism. He said the Prime Minister was willing to engage in dialogue despite political differences, but tackling the serious issue of terrorism was unavoidable.
He said Nawaz Sharif had also contacted leaders who staged sit-ins in the past. According to Rana Sanaullah, opposition leaders were offered a meeting with the Prime Minister, but some declined the offer. He said members of the armed forces were continuing to make sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and all political parties should support them.
Rana Sanaullah said political negotiations in the past had nearly resulted in a consensus on the issue of elections, but some leaders changed their positions after consulting their party leadership. Criticising the opposition, he said disagreements had emerged during recent talks over cooperation in the fight against terrorism. According to him, there was no alternative to victory against terrorism.
Questions Raised Over Emergency in Mineral-Rich Districts
Senator Mashal Azam said an emergency had been imposed in mineral-rich districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while governor’s rule had been imposed in other areas. She questioned whether a resolution had been passed by the provincial assembly before the emergency was declared. She also called for details of the counterterrorism measures taken after the imposition of governor’s rule to be made public.
Mashal Azam claimed that international organisations were invited to extract minerals just days after the emergency was imposed. She also raised objections to the council established for negotiations, saying some of its members had excused themselves, while, according to her, two members had also passed away.
Balochistan’s People Suffering on Two Fronts: Maulana Abdul Wasey
Senator Maulana Abdul Wasey said the people of Balochistan were facing difficulties both because of terrorism and government operations. He said a commissioner could be abducted and local residents would have to collect money to pay ransom, while employment opportunities in the province had also been severely affected.
PTI Was Conspiring Against the Country and Government: Afnanullah
Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan said approximately 3,000 terrorist incidents had occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past year. He rejected the opposition’s position that the imposition of governor’s rule was linked to mineral resources. He said everyone’s survival depended on the country’s survival and national unity was essential in the fight against terrorism.
Opposition to Governor’s Rule and Emergency
Senator Falak Naz Chitrali said her party was not afraid of either an emergency or governor’s rule. She claimed that the public mandate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been undermined and political leaders had been imprisoned. She said her party wanted peace and that thousands of people had already sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism.
Senator Gurdip Singh also questioned the imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the province had not faced circumstances that warranted such measures.
Political Leaders Trade Criticism
Senator Aun Abbas Buppi said the security situation in some areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was alarming and politically motivated arrests were taking place. He warned that escalating political tensions would be harmful to the country.
Senator Nasir Butt said the opposition itself had created the circumstances that led to the possibility of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Referring to the £190 million case against the PTI founder, he said the decision regarding his release rested with the courts.
Action Assured on Senator Waqar Mehdi’s Complaint
Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi complained that an individual was using his photograph on social media to solicit money from people. He said the issue had not been resolved despite informing the relevant authorities.
In response, Rana Sanaullah invited him to accompany him and assured him that he would contact the Director General of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency to try to resolve the matter.
The Senate session was subsequently adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on Friday.