ISLAMABAD: A high-level meeting of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Saturday discussed the issue of terrorism and peace talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The meeting sought the parliament’s role in countering terrorism after the developments came to light in Afghanistan related to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The meeting decided to reach out to its allied parties to build a consensus on way forward amid talks with TTP.
The meeting was held at Zardari House in Islamabad under the chairmanship party’s co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, who is also the foreign minister.
Senior party leaders — Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Murad Ali Shah, Sherry Rehman, Khursheed Shah, Faryal Talpur, Nayyer Bukhari, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chaudhry Manzoor, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Akhunzada Chattan, Nisar Khuhro, and others — attended the meeting.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the PPP said that the party had reiterated that all decisions must be taken by the parliament, and thus, the parliament must be taken on board.
Taking to Twitter, Bilawal Bhutto said that PPP held a high-level meeting to discuss the issue of terrorism, particularly in light of recent developments in Afghanistan, with the TTA (Tehreek-i-Taliban Afghanistan) & TTP.
“PPP believes that all decisions must be taken by parliament. Will be reaching out to allied parties to create consensus on the way forward,” the foreign minister wrote on Twitter.
PPP held a high level meeting to discuss issue of terrorism. Particularly in light of recent developments in Afghanistan, with the TTA & TTP. PPP believes that all decisions must be taken by parliament. Will be reaching out to allied parties to creat consensus on the way forward.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 11, 2022
Last month, the government and the TTP had agreed to extend a ceasefire indefinitely and continue negotiations to find an end to the nearly two decades of militancy.
According to sources, the meeting was held after PPP served a show-cause notice to its MNA from the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas — Sajid Hussain Turi — for attending peace talks with the banned TTP without informing the party or parliament.
After the meeting PPP Secretary-General Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting reiterated the party’s position that all decisions must be taken by the parliament and thus, the parliament must be taken on board.
