ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Imran Khan Founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stated on Friday that his party would participate in the upcoming all-parties conference (APC), where the government plans to brief political parties about Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.
Speaking to reporters at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where he is currently imprisoned, Imran Khan acknowledged his party’s reservations regarding the new anti-terrorism initiative, suggesting it could potentially escalate instability in the country.
Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, recently launched by the federal government, aims to intensify national counter-terrorism efforts with a focus on intelligence-based operations, following recommendations from the National Action Plan’s Central Apex Committee to combat militant threats in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly decided to convene the APC to garner political support for the operation. The date for this conference will be determined after consultations.
In response to criticism from opposition parties such as PTI, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F), and Awami National Party (ANP), who have called for parliamentary oversight before such actions, the Prime Minister’s Office clarified that the operation does not entail a large-scale military offensive like previous operations (Zarb-e-Azb, Rah-e-Nijaat).
The federal government emphasized that Azm-e-Istehkam aims to ensure enduring stability and should not be equated with earlier kinetic military operations, asserting that terrorist entities no longer have the capacity to conduct large-scale organized attacks within Pakistan.