ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to the All Parties Conference (APC) aimed at finding solutions to tackle the difficult economic and political crises. .
Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said in a statement that the prime minister was trying to bring leaders of all political parties to the table to come together to find ways to tackle “critical national challenges”. This conference is going to be held on February 7 in Islamabad.
He said that in this regard, Federal Minister Ayaz Sadiq has started communication with senior leaders of PTI including former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and former Defense Minister Pervez Khattak and has asked them to attend the next meeting. do
The invitation is an important development as the PDM-led government and the PTI have always been at odds on almost all national issues, not only since Khan’s removal from the PM office, but also when the tables were turned. .
The move comes at a time when Pakistan is facing a serious threat of terrorism and a troubling economic and political situation, which shows no sign of respite anytime soon.
According to the statement, the Prime Minister has also invited two PTI representatives to attend the Apex Committee meeting – scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) in Peshawar.
According to the minister, during the meeting of the committee, all stakeholders – police, rangers, officials of intelligence agencies and others – will participate.
The meeting will discuss Monday’s Peshawar suicide bombing, ways to root out terrorism and upgradation of the police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
This meeting is important because the government is facing a difficult task in the matter of terrorism. Terrorist attacks have been on the rise since the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended a ceasefire with Islamabad in November last year.
Meanwhile, a breakthrough on the political front will bring much-needed stability to the country, as investors need reassurance that the nation of 220 million people is a viable place despite all the challenges.
Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) have also fallen to precarious levels as the cash-strapped country revives the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) stalled bailout program. Trying desperately to do.
Due to foreign debt repayments, the central bank said its reserves fell by $592 million to $3,086.2 million in the week ended January 27, the lowest since February 2014, and 18.5 are barely enough to provide import cover for days (0.61 months).
‘Consultations’
In response, Qaiser told JEE News that the government has approached him to send PTI representatives to attend tomorrow’s Apex Committee meeting.
The former NA Speaker said that the party’s senior leadership is considering the government’s invitation. After the consultation, we will inform the government of our final decision.
He added that the PTI chief – a staunch critic of the current government – would take the final call.
Another senior PTI leader, Pervez Khattak, told JEE News that he was not aware of the apex committee meeting and had not received any invitation for the discussion.
When JEE News contacted KP-based Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Inayatullah Khan, he said that his party had not received the invitation to the meeting.
Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) spokesperson said the party has received the invitation and KP President Amil Wali Khan will attend the meeting.
