ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a national security conference today (Saturday) to discuss matter of internal security related with ‘Azadi March’ and situation arising in the aftermath of ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azab.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif and ISI Director General Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam, and all parliamentary leaders are invited to the conference, which will be held at 10am t PM House. It will thoroughly deliberate the internal security matters of the country relating to PTI’s long march and plan to counter any untoward situation after the conclusion of ongoing Zarb-e-Azab operation in North Waziristam, sources told TheNation.
While the military establishment is hinting to conclude the ongoing Zarb-e-Azab, the participants of the conference will be briefed about the progress of the military operation during the meeting. Sources said that the matter related with the enforcement of Article 245 in Islamabad will also be deliberated in the meeting.
The parliamentary leaders include Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Syed Khursheed Shah, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The ministers invited include Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique.
An important meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was held under the chair of its chief Imran Khan on Saturday which decided that the party will boycott the national security conference. Rizwan Chaudhry, a representative of PTI media cell, informed that neither PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak nor any other representative of PTI would participate in the conference.
When contacted, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that PM Office has convened the conference. “It is the will of any political party to join this conference or not,” he said, responding a question about PTI’s refusal to attend the conference. Dar said, “I thanked Altaf Hussain for his party’s efforts for strengthening democracy in the country and invited MQM to participate in the conference.
Political analysts believe that the back-to-back political stalwart’s parleys to settle down deadlock situation, emerging from Imran Khan’s inflexible stance, is likely to be fruitful as government has successfully wooed many important political forces to its side.
IMRAN BELITTLING HIS STATURE BY TELLING LIES: PERVAIZ
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan is belittling his stature by telling lies.
In a statement issued here, he said that people like Sheikh Rashid, Chaudhary brothers and Tahirul Qadri are using Imran for their personal interests. He said Rashid and Chaudhary brothers want to derail the democratic process through a non-democratic way, which would not be acceptable. He said all political forces agree to support democracy in the country.
Pervaiz said it seems PTI leader is not happy over appreciation of Pak rupee against US dollar, realisation of $1.25 billion through transparent bidding of 3G/4G spectrum and projects like metro bus. He said that the incumbent government has been trying to boost up business activities in the country since assuming its charge. 
He said that Imran did not speak a single word against terrorists during his news conference. He said that all political forces and nation were supporting the operation launched against the extremists.