PM Shehbaz's APC on terrorism postponed again

Information minister says new date to be announced 'after consultation with allies'

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's All Party Conference (APC) on the issue of terrorism has once again been postponed.

In a tweet, Aurangzeb said that the premier would be leaving for Ankara on Wednesday (tomorrow) morning to express his condolences to the people of Turkey on the destruction and loss of life caused by the earthquake yesterday.

Read Rescue teams, relief supplies from Pakistan arrive in Turkey

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria has crossed 4,000 as rescue teams continue to save those trapped under the rubble.

"Due to the prime minister's visit to Turkey, the APC scheduled to convene on Thursday, February 9, is being postponed," tweeted the information minister, adding that a new date will be announced "after consultation with allies".

وزیراعظم شہباز شریف کل صبح انقرہ روانہ ہوں گے، وہ صدر اردوان سے زلزلے کی تباہی، جانی نقصان پر افسوس اور تعزیت،ترکیہ کے عوام سے یک جہتی کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم کے دورہ ترکیہ کی وجہ سے جمعرات 9 فروری کو بلائی گئی اے پی سی مؤخر کی جا رہی ہے، اتحادیوں کی مشاورت سے نئی تاریخ کا اعلان ہوگا

— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) February 7, 2023

A day earlier, Aurangzeb had announced that the APC had been postponed and was to take place on Thursday, February 9, two days later than the original date.

Originally, PM Shehbaz had called an APC on February 7, inviting all national and political leaders of the country to mull on the growing threat of extremism and terrorism.

"A joint strategy to combat terrorism and national challenges will be formulated and the National Action Plan will be reviewed," the minister had said.

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The premier had announced the APC days after the Peshawar Police Lines carnage, which snuffed more than 100 lives when a suicide bomber blew himself up during noon prayers inside a mosque.

His decision to make the political leaders sit across the table on crucial national-level challenges has been seen as a major political development in the country’s political scene, which has been marred with uncertainty for months now.

However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General Secretary Asad Umar had confirmed that party chief Imran Khan would not attend the conference.

“How could Imran Khan sit with the incumbent government while false cases are being filed against the PTI leaders,” he had said.