Major coalition partner calls for consensus before final decision on Pakistan anti-militancy operation

ISLAMABAD: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, chairman of major coalition partner Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on Monday stressed a consensus between all stakeholders at the upcoming All Parties Conference (APC) to make a final decision on an operation to wipe out militants from the South Asian country.

Pakistan’s top national security body last month notified the launch of Operation Azm-e-Istehkaam amid a spike in militant violence in Pakistan. Leading opposition factions, including former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, objected to the announcement without any debate over the issue in parliament.
Following the backlash from the opposition, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office issued a statement, clarifying that “no large-scale military operation” would be launched in Pakistan. Sharif’s government has now planned to convene an APC to address the concerns of political stakeholders in the South Asian country.
“PPP will try for a consensus and play its role,” Bhutto-Zardari said at a press conference in Peshawar. “The decision taken after a consensus will be a better decision.”
The statement came days after Pakistan’s top military brass raised concerns over “unwarranted” criticism of the newly announced operation, saying it would assist the government in addressing all security-related challenges undermining investor confidence in cash-strapped Pakistan that has been striving to boost foreign investment.
Confirming that his party would send a delegation to the APC, Bhutto-Zardari said he would share all concerns they had regarding the operation at the “appropriate forum,” adding that they wanted to hear the government’s motive behind it.
He highlighted that the security situation of the country was linked to the economy and both had to be managed properly. “Whatever decision the government takes, we feel the APC will be the appropriate forum to raise concerns,” the PPP chairman said.
He lauded PM Sharif’s decision to organize the APC and urged all political parties to keep their “partisan politics out of this game” as the matter at hand revolved around national security and fighting militant groups.
The government’s decision to launch the operation came against the backdrop of a surge in militant violence in different parts of the country. It also came shortly after a top Chinese leader visited Pakistan and expressed concerns about militant attacks against Chinese nationals working on various projects in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government plans to hold the all-parties conference to take all political stakeholders on board with its anti-militancy plan, though the exact date of the conference has yet to be announced.