PTI leadership divided over participation in national security meeting
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PTI's Junaid Akbar (left) and Sheikh Waqas Akram. — Facebook/@PTIOfficial/ @JunaidAkbarMNA
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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek -e -Insaf (PTI) is divided whether whether to attend the National Security Summit on the camera, its leadership issues contradictory statements before Tuesday, which is after the deadly Jaffar Express attack.
PTI Central Spokesman, Sheikh Waqas Akram, said the party would attend the meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC).
However, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President, Junaid Akbar, has claimed that the party was not informed about the meeting.
He further emphasized that no decision can be made without consulting the party’s founder, Imran Khan, as his approval was necessary for any such participation.
Akbar added that after talking to its founder, PTI will move forward in any case, including the committee’s participation. He confirmed that there would be a consultation on attendance at the security meeting.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has called for a camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee (PCNS) on the National Security (PCNS) tomorrow while increasing terrorist incidents in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Sunday, the NA Speaker scheduled the session at 1:30 pm on Tuesday on the advice of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The statement further said that the military leadership will provide a comprehensive briefing to the parliamentary committee on the current security situation.
The meeting will be attended by the parliamentary leaders of the political parties in the National Assembly and the Senate along with their nominated representatives. Cabinet members will also attend.
Meanwhile, the government has also demanded an All Parties Conference on the issue of terrorism, with Prime Minister Shahbaz’s assistant, Rana Sanaullah, said that the ruling coalition would ask PTI to take part in such a meeting.
A few days after a major terrorist attack on a passenger train in the Mashkaf area of Bolan district of Balochistan, an important meeting of the NA has been convened.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both of whom share borders with neighboring Afghanistan, have faced terrorist attacks – both provinces have participated in more than 96 % of terrorist attacks and deaths in Pakistan in 2024.
Dozens of militants belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) blew up the railway track and attacked the Jaffar Express on Tuesday, in which more than 440 passengers were taken – who were taken hostage.
After a complex clearance operation, security forces neutralized 33 attackers and rescued hostage passengers.
In addition to five operational casualties, more than 26 passengers were martyred by the terrorists, of which 18 were security personnel belonging to the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps (FC), three were officials of Pakistan Railways and other departments, and five were civilians.
Also, three FC personnel were martyred in the militant attack, targeting a packet before the train was ambushed.
The country has seen a sharp rise in terrorist attacks since the Taliban’s rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021.
According to data released by a think tank, Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICS), in January 2025, this terrorism increased by 42 % over the previous month.
According to the National Assembly spokesman, strict security measures have been taken for the camera meeting of the National Security Committee.
Admission to the National Assembly has been banned, unauthorized persons are forbidden to access the premises. In addition, all entry cards issued to media personnel have been temporarily disabled.
During the session, filming, videoography and photography have also been strictly banned in the premises of Parliament.
The spokesperson emphasized that the authorities are fully aware of the role and needs of the media, but given the sensitivity of national security issues, media personnel and relevant stakeholders urged them to cooperate.
