According to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office, Gilani met the heads of some political parties and telephoned others, telling them that Pakistan was facing a real threat and that the situation demanded all of them to unite. The statement, however, did not specify where these threats emanate from.
The statement also did not say when the conference could take place and officials said the schedule of the political parties’ meeting will be finalised later.
The move comes days after top administration officials in Washington accused Pakistan’s premier spy agency the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) of using the Haqqani network of Afghan militants as a ‘proxy’ to spread violence in Afghanistan and threatened to launch a unilateral strike in case of inaction.
(Read: Hitting back - Kayani scoffs, Khar cautions, Gilani muses)
According to the statement, Gilani had directed Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to cut short her US visit and reach Islamabad for the conference. But, hours later, a second statement said that Khar will return after she makes her UN General Assembly speech scheduled for September 27 and Gilani has asked her to forcefully present Pakistan’s viewpoint at the forum.
(Read: Gilani directs Khar to forcefully project Pakistan’s case at UNGA)
Officials also said that military and intelligence chiefs will also be asked to brief the political leadership on security in the context of fresh US allegations and threats.
Separately, the statement added that the premier was also in touch with President Asif Ali Zardari who was reaching Islamabad from Karachi, where he had been monitoring flood relief efforts by Sindh authorities.
The leaders that Gilani called on included Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asfandyar Wali Khan.
Pakistan Muslim League-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met the prime minister separately.
Other leaders whom the prime minister contacted were: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, PML-Functional head Pir Pagaro, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Munawwar Hassan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, PPP-Sherpao chief Aftab Khan Sherpao, Tribal Leader Munir Khan Orakzai, former minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan of PML-Likeminded group, Sarwat Ijaz Qadri of Sunni Tehreek and Maulana Muhammad Anas Noorani of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUI-P).
The statement said that both leaders had appreciated the premier’s initiative of gathering the entire political leadership of the country on a common point on this ‘most critical juncture’ of history.
“Political leaders expressed their willingness to attend the briefing and also endorsed the prime minister’s move of taking them into confidence on issues that are of paramount importance from the national point of view,” said the statement.
“The proposed meeting will send a strong message that the nation stands united when the defence and security of the country is at stake. Political differences in the domestic politics do not come in the way of national and foreign policy issues which are above party politics,” the statement read.
But most of the political parties, except the MQM, preferred not to come up with their response to the prime minister’s initiative.
“Altaf Hussain has welcomed the efforts of the prime minister for arriving at a national consensus in view of the present precarious situation of the country,” said a statement issued by the MQM on Sunday.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2011.
COMMENTS (21)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1714129906-0/Clint-Eastwood-(1)1714129906-0-270x192.webp)
the army has already decided about haqqani, so whats the point of this APC ?! Waste of time.
@Menon: so you are also a rhetoric lover.....
The civilians have ceded all initiative to the army - the army decides what to do with the Happanis - what are the civilians meeting for? some chest thumping and sloganeering?
@H.A. Khan: I think you meant "doesn't"?
Unecessary and waste of time, top brass has already decided next move.
@ik: "A turning point in the history of Pakistan – Do we want to live a life of slavery or do we demand self-respect. "
Seems like Pak Fauj is happy with the slavery of terrorists/Saudi Arab to the point of self-destruction. Will see at what point the law-n-order breaks completely down, and terror starts to grip the defense societies. That will give them lot of self respect!
It seems that pakistani government and the army knows more about what is going on. The Threat must have been quite real or else the government would not have dared to go into discussions with all political parties. After May 2 attack in abottabad, US has given a clear indication that they would go after any target in pakistan whenever they feel like it. The Gov of pakistan and the military establishment had to bare the grunt of people first for Raymond Davis and than for OBL killing in Abottabad. They would not be able to withstand another such incidence.
I applaud the steps taken by the governments during these harsh times and highly appreciate the response of our Military establishment. If we take military action against the Haqani's than we will be at war for a long long time which US would be out of the war in 2 years. Haqani's will target pakistan as that would be the easiest target.
If pakistani establishments could have figured this out in 2001 than we would not have been in this mess. In the words of our UN Representative "US has no permanent friends or foes internationally".
If you rely on US and the West for their hand outs, you are no longer a sovereign nation. You do what they say. Unfortunately, leaders in Pakistan have no shame. Pakistan needs leaders who are not stale and have fresh and forward thinking to make country truly independent. Sorry, Sharif Brothers, Zardari and Altaf Hussain do not fit the mold. The leader ship need to come not from families but educated people from humble backgrounds, who are clean and uncorruptable. Turkey's current leadership is a good example of the kind of leadership Pakistan desperately need.
A notice from America: anyone who opposes USA will be deemed a terrorist and their assests will br frozen. Now for a show of hands.
I recall the last time he got together with all parties you appointed the OBL Commission - we can all see how effective that has been.
Please people. This is mere nura kushti.
It will allow the gov to say it tried but could not succeed against a mightier foe and then the us will have a free hand to undertake operations in north waziristan helped by the same isi that they publically are belittling right now.
Sadly this is no case of pakistan standing up. The current ppp leaders have stood up for anything before for Pakistan without their personal finances involved. Why are we so gullible to think they are standing up now ?
Whole terrorism is a created phenomenon and can be cleaned out in a few weeks. First bring the political leadership in control of military (constitutionally) and then order them to clean and rewind. Political leadership must unite to do that.
This is a turning point and all the political leadership should act like Turkey did and all the institutions must follow the writ of law. Military's dictate must not be followed but listened and political leadership must make their own decisions to save Pakistan. This is the time to risk your lives for the sake of Pakistan and tell military that we need you but we need Pakistan the most. Please do not make another Bangladesh for the saftey and pleasure of our military.
"All stake holders have being taken abroad" - Anathor puerile statement that means absolutely nothing.
Why does the Foreign Affairs committee of National Assembly meet on urgent basis?. Same for Senate committee?.
Pakistan is behaving as if war is inevitable. All the statements they are issuing are,on the contrary, provocative. This is the reflection of their real strategy. They want to draw US into another war. I am inclined to believe that there is a concerted effort to assume the control of the situation by escalating faster than expectation and scare the opponent into indecision and rethinking. I say this because everybody already knew that Pakistan has been using terror as a state policy for a long time now. Pakistan has used this strategy very effectively and is not ready to abandon it. But this time the US will not hear anything. So the best strategy for Pakistan is to escalate quickly so that a bigger concern of nuclear security, panic and threshold breach brings both sides to the negotiating table. This will put Pakistan on a more favourable platform for a negotiated deescalation. For the same reason i think there is some kind of assurance of some covert support by China that makes the Pakistani authorities so confident. Lets see how a tired and annoyed US respond ?
Headlines:"Karachi without electricity for half a day"
Now Gilani and Kayani will also deny that there was any such loadshedding...the news is a CIA Mosssad Raw Conspiracy. The problem is that Pakistan has no credibility....even when it may be saying the truth.
A turning point in the history of Pakistan - Do we want to live a life of slavery or do we demand self-respect. Sleeping with an enemy like US has destroyed our future. Are we ready to build brick by brick & save our children.
This meeting should not be about USA. GOP for once, has a chance to wrestle back ALL establishments under its power. This is real Democracy. Every institution under the control of elected Govt.
Inxluding the Haqquani networ?