A day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed off on anti-militancy Operation Azm-e-Istehkam to counter terrorism nationwide, opposition lawmakers—primarily of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)—rejected it in Parliament, claiming they were not taken into confidence about it.
On Saturday, a meeting of the Central Apex Committee on National Action Plan (NAP) under the chair of P.M. Sharif approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a nationwide counter-terror drive aimed at eradicating militancy from the country. In an official statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said the operation was approved with the consensus of all stakeholders, including the four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“The approval of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam symbolizes the national resolve to eradicate all forms of extremism and terrorism from the country,” it said, claiming it would “integrate and synergize” multiple drives to counter extremism and terrorism in a “comprehensive and decisive” manner. The meeting, per the statement, also reaffirmed a vow to not allow any force to challenge the writ of the state. A key discussion point, per the statement, was ensuring foolproof security for Chinese citizens, who have been increasingly targeted in recent years.
According to the press release, the Apex Committee stressed on the need for a comprehensive and reinvigorated counter-terrorism strategy built on complete national consensus and system-wide synergy. It called for intensifying diplomatic efforts to reduce the operational space for terrorists through regional cooperation and emphasized augmenting full-blown kinetic efforts of the armed forces with the full support of all law enforcement agencies. The meeting also called for new legislation to address loopholes hampering the effective prosecution of terror-related cases and pledged socioeconomic measures that fostered an environment discouraging extremist tendencies.
A day after the meeting, which was attended by PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur in his capacity as chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI and JUIF both took exception to it, lamenting they were not taken into confidence. During the ongoing budget session of the National Assembly, the PTI staged a walkout, returning only after the government assured them their concerns would be addressed.
Addressing media after the walkout, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan called for Parliament to be taken into confidence before any operation is launched. Another PTI leader, Asad Qasier, said his party did not support any operation.
A subsequent meeting between Qaiser and JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman agreed to jointly oppose the “operation,” claiming it was not the solution to the public’s problems. According to a statement, both leaders emphasized the role of political parties in achieving peace and stability in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and agreed to fulfill the role of a viable opposition in the National Assembly.
‘Standing with terrorists’
Slamming the PTI’s opposition to the operation, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused them of “standing with terrorists” rather than the country. Speaking on the floor of the Lower House, he noted that the KP chief minister was present in the Apex Committee when the decision to launch the operation was taken. “All these decisions were taken in front of him,” he said.
“They [PTI] are against the Pakistan Army and the martyrs,” he said. “They still stand with their May 9 stance,” he said, adding he was attempting to speak about national security, but the PTI’s jeers indicated they only cared about creating ruckus. “They are neither with the country nor with the Constitution,” he alleged.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, meanwhile, said the government would take Parliament into confidence over the operation. “Your leader [Imran Khan] did not participate in the session in which [such topics were discussed], but we will not do this,” he said. “My prime minister and my cabinet will be present here,” he said and slammed the opposition for protesting while the defense minister was attempting to explain the situation.
“Your chief minister [Gandapur] was present at that meeting and he did not object to a single thing as it is for Pakistan’s betterment,” he said, adding an in-camera National Security Council meeting would soon be convened on the issue.