Civil-Military Talks
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur downplayed the significance of the in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) held on Wednesday, describing it as more of a presentation than a serious discussion on the issue of terrorism.
In an interview with a local TV channel, Gandapur expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such meetings, arguing that if terrorism could be eradicated simply through communiqués or presentations, it would have been eliminated long ago.
Instead of large-scale discussions, he proposed the formation of a small, focused committee dedicated to developing a concrete strategy to combat terrorism in Pakistan.
His remarks came a day after the PCNS emphasized the importance of national unity and political commitment in the fight against terrorism.
The meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, political leaders, members of the parliamentary committee, and high-ranking military and intelligence officials, including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.
Notably, the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as well as politicians Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Akhtar Mengal, chose to boycott the meeting. The gathering was convened at the prime minister’s suggestion following the terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express.
During the session, COAS General Asim Munir stressed the necessity of improved governance and the transformation of Pakistan into a ‘hard state.’ He questioned how long the nation would continue making sacrifices under the guise of being a ‘soft state.’
Addressing the recent surge in terrorist attacks in KP and Balochistan, Gandapur reaffirmed that the PTI-led provincial government would not permit large-scale military operations in the province under any circumstances.
He argued that previous operations had caused more harm than good, rather than effectively eliminating terrorism. However, he clarified that intelligence-based operations (IBOs) could be conducted anywhere in the country, as they had been in the past.
He also pointed out that simply killing terrorists was not a sustainable solution. Instead, he suggested that Pakistan must engage diplomatically with the country that provides sanctuary to these militant groups.
Shifting the conversation towards civil-military relations, Gandapur addressed criticism from PML-N leaders Talal Chaudhry and Khawaja Asif regarding his stance on the military. He questioned whether it was wrong to maintain good relations with the army, emphasizing that his father was a soldier and that he felt deeply hurt when people unfairly criticized the armed forces.
He reiterated his allegiance to PTI founder Imran Khan, dismissing narratives suggesting he was not a loyal member of the party or a true well-wisher of Pakistan.
Regarding his relationship with the army chief, Gandapur stated that he maintains cordial ties with General Asim Munir. However, he voiced his opposition to certain actions, such as raids on people’s homes, incidents of torture, and enforced disappearances, making it clear that while he respects the military, he does not endorse such tactics.
