Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday shared the new date for the all parties conference (APC) called by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to find solutions to the daunting challenge of terrorism and other crises in the country.
According to the new schedule shared by Marriyum, the APC will take place on February 9 instead of February 7.”The APC called by PM Shehbaz Sharif on the terrorism issue will be held on Thursday, February 9, instead of 7 in Islamabad, in which the national and political leadership has been invited,” the federal minister said.
She said that a joint strategy to deal with terrorism and other challenges will be prepared and the national action plan will be reviewed at the conference.
Last week, PM Shehbaz Sharif had invited PTI Chairman Imran Khan to the APC. However, Khan had turned down the invitation as PTI’s Secretary General Asad Umar said that the party chief would not attend the conference.
“How can we sit with them [PDM-led government] while cases are being registered against us?” he had asked.
PDM govt should send ‘written’ invitation: Khattak
Later, PTI leader Pervez Khattak had said that if the federal government was serious about inviting the party to the APC, they should have sent a written invitation.
Talking to journalists outside Zaman Park Lahore, the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister had said that inviting the party over a phone call was not the correct way. He had asked the PDM government to give a clear policy on how the country will come out of the current quagmire.
Meanwhile, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that on one side the government was inviting the PTI for the APC and on the other side, victimising the party’s leaders.
Interacting with media persons in Lahore, he had said if the government wanted to unite the nation, it should first stop victimisation of PTI leaders.
Qureshi had added that the PDM’s agenda is not compatible with the national agenda. The PDM government has completely failed, he had said.
The invitation was a major development as the PDM government and the PTI have always been at loggerheads over almost all national issues, before Khan’s ouster from the PM Office.
The move comes as Pakistan faces a severe threat of terrorism and distressing economic and political situations, with no signs of respite soon.
The prime minister sought to bring heads of all political parties to the table so they can join heads and figure out ways to address “important national challenges”.
