ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is set to attend the Apex Committee meeting, where he will face the country’s top military leadership to discuss pressing issues, including the law and order situation, the National Action Plan, and rising terrorism. The meeting will also indirectly touch upon the tensions between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the establishment.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened the meeting, which will include Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, the heads of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), all provincial chief ministers, key federal ministers, and other stakeholders. The primary agenda will focus on the deteriorating security landscape, with a particular emphasis on the surge in terrorist activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
Addressing speculation about discussing PTI’s November 24 protest march and party leader Imran Khan’s clashes with the establishment, Gandapur stated: “I will not discuss politics. We don’t need anyone’s permission to hold a protest march.”
However, he acknowledged that topics related to PTI and its challenges would inevitably arise when discussing law and order and the National Action Plan. Gandapur also disclosed that he has raised similar issues in past meetings of the apex body.
Commenting on PTI’s ongoing tensions with the establishment, Gandapur said such conflicts were detrimental to all parties involved, including PTI, Pakistan, and the army. “These issues need resolution,” he emphasized, highlighting the hardships faced by PTI leadership and the toll these have taken on Imran Khan.
When questioned about Khan’s aggressive rhetoric towards the military and its leadership, Gandapur initially denied it but later remarked: “When someone is unjustly kept behind bars for so long, they are bound to speak out.”
He also voiced concerns over the worsening security situation and paid tribute to the sacrifices of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies in combating terrorism. “We respect and honor their sacrifices for the country and its people,” he stated.
According to media reports, the Apex Committee will be briefed on the current security challenges and measures taken to address terrorism. The deteriorating situation is underscored by a significant spike in attacks, with October alone witnessing 48 incidents that claimed over 100 lives, predominantly in KP and Balochistan.
