Establishment not averse to govt’s dialogue offer to PTI: Sana

ISLAMABAD: Rana Sanaullah has said that the military establishment has no issues with the Shehbaz Sharif government’s offer to the PTI for dialogue.

Rana, Adviser to Prime Minister on Political Affairs, said that the present military establishment sincerely wants the well-being of Pakistan and if the political leadership of the country sits together on issues of national interest for consensus, there will be no hurdles from their (Establishment) side.

Talking to The News, he regretted that Imran Khan remains the major hurdle, and has always refused to talk with his political opponents. Rana Sanaullah said that besides different cabinet members and PMLN leaders, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself, on the floor of the National Assembly, offered dialogue to PTI but got no positive response.

Rana said that the government is ready to discuss all the irritants between them. He said that there is dire need for the political leadership to sit together, discuss and resolve their differences and to achieve political consensus on issues of national interest for the progress and prosperity of the people and the country.

Imran Khan, in a recent talk with reporters in Adiala Jail, has though agreed that his party would attend the All Parties Conference being convened by the government on military’s operation Azm-e-Istahkam against terrorism; he refused to accept the government’s dialogue offer.

He instead asserted that the time for negotiations had passed, specifically on February 8, and dismissed the idea of negotiating with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, which he believed was hanging by a thread.

The government recently decided to call the APC to address concerns from coalition and opposition parties regarding Operation Azm-e-Istahkam. The conference aims to build political consensus and ensure all parties are on board with the operation’s objectives.

On June 22, the Apex Committee of National Action Plan, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved “Operation Azm-e-Istahkam” to eliminate terrorism and extremism across the country.

PM Shehbaz approved the reactivation of the national anti-terrorism campaign through the launch of this operation, symbolising national resolve with consensus from all stakeholders, including the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The government’s announcement regarding Operation Azm-e-Istahkam invited criticism from different political parties including the PTI. Some coalition partners of the PMLN also voiced their concerns. The government at different levels tried to clarify that no new military operation is being launched but it did pacify the voices raised against any such move.

Government though welcomed Imran Khan’s decision that his party will attend the APC, there is no date finalised as for the meeting.

Rana Sanaullah said that the government is considering the option of convening the APC before or after 10th of Muharram. He said that a government team has already met some coalition parties on the issue of APC and will now discuss the matter with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.