Pakistan’s main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said Sunday it would not participate in a government-arranged security briefing on growing tensions with India.
The party, led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, said the government should instead convene an all-party conference to build national consensus.
“PTI does not consider it necessary to participate in any such briefing as a national leader like Imran Khan was not included in the consultation,” party spokesperson Waqas Akram Sheikh said in a statement.
The statement came as Pakistan’s information ministry announced that a background briefing would be held Sunday for political leaders on the country’s security posture amid fresh strain with New Delhi. Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar and military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry were scheduled to lead the session.
But by Sunday afternoon, no such meeting had taken place. Officials said contacts were still ongoing and details would be shared later.
The tension follows a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen killed 26 civilians. India has blamed Pakistan for backing the assault — a charge Islamabad strongly denies.
PTI said it has always condemned terrorism “in unequivocal and unambiguous words,” adding that Khan had called for unity and stability from prison.
"Imran Khan... has clearly condemned not only terrorism in his messages to the nation from jail but also emphasized the need for national unity and internal stability,” the statement said.
The party said it passed a resolution on its Foundation Day vowing to stand at the forefront in case of any aggression from India.
“The government should have immediately convened an All Parties Conference (APC), so that a common course of action could have been drawn up,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, the government wasted this opportunity.”
PTI also accused the government of delivering a “one-sided briefing” through a minister, with no real attempt to build consensus.
“Since there is no serious attempt to build a national consensus, nor is there any intention to include an important national leader like Imran Khan, we believe that the participation of the PTI in this briefing is not necessary,” it said.
India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir since partition in 1947. Armed groups have waged a separatist insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, with tens of thousands killed.
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