A critical meeting aimed at tackling terrorism and strengthening national security began on Tuesday at Parliament House, though the opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), chose not to participate. The alliance’s boycott stemmed from the exclusion of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, with TTAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai emphasizing that any security discussion should include representatives from all political parties.
The closed-door session, led by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, comes in response to a series of violent incidents across Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where attacks on security personnel have escalated. Notable recent incidents include the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan, which claimed 31 lives, a deadly suicide bombing in Noshki, and multiple assaults on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.
Top civilian and military officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, are attending the briefing, alongside provincial leaders and representatives from various parliamentary parties. The committee is expected to propose measures to counter terrorism and ensure national security.
PTI, initially set to attend, withdrew from the meeting, citing concerns over the absence of its leader, Imran Khan. PTI spokesperson Salman Akram Raja announced that no PTI members would participate unless Imran Khan was allowed to attend. He also criticized the government’s stance on military operations in Balochistan and KP, which he argued had caused ongoing hardship for locals.
While the ruling coalition criticized PTI’s decision, accusing the party of prioritizing its leader’s release over national interests, opposition leaders such as Achakzai and Raja called for a joint parliamentary session to address the country’s security challenges collectively.
The meeting is being held under tight security, with media barred from the premises and strict measures in place to ensure safety. Despite the boycott, the session is expected to set the stage for important decisions aimed at strengthening the country’s counterterrorism efforts.
