Gilani holds consultations with PPP leaders

Consulted with leaders on the upcoming APC, scheduled for Tuesday. PML-N to hold party meeting on Tueday too.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani held a meeting with prominent Pakistan Peoples Party leaders at the PM House on Monday to consult them on the convening of the All Parties Conference (APC).

Gilani has been sending letters to leaders of political parties, inviting them to participate in the APC.

The letter mentions the reason for holding the APC is to give strategic direction to the nation in the wake of the security threats in the region.

Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, who will be returning immediately after her address at the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, will brief the political leadership about the security situation in the region in general and in Pakistan in particular.

Military and intelligence chiefs will also be asked to brief the political leadership on security in the context of fresh US allegations and threats.

(Read: Endgame: Gilani convenes all parties conference on September 29)

The meeting was attended by Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Defence Minister, Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Leader of the House in Senate, Jahangir Badar, Secretary General PPP, Rehman Mailk, Minister for Interior, Syed Khursheed Shah, Minister for Religious Affairs, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Information, Senator Babar Awan, MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira and MNA Nazar Muhammad Gondal.

Senior political leaders confirm APC pariticpation

Top political leaders including Nawaz Sharif, PML-N, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML-Q, Asfandyar Wali, ANP, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, JUI-F and Imran Khan, PTI had confirmed their participation in the APC.

Prime Minister's house, which is the designated host venue for the conference, said that efforts were underway to convince some other political parties to join the APC, their confirmations expected to come on Wednesday.

According to a spokesman of the Prime Minister House, the political leaders, who have confirmed their participation include Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, PML-N, Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML-Q, Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, MQM, Asfandyar Wali Khan, ANP, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, JUI-F, Minister for Narcotics Control  Haji Khuda Bux Rajar, PML-F, MNA Haji Munir Khan Aurakzai, FATA, MNA Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, PPP-S, MNA Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi, National Peoples Party (NPP), Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri, BNP-A, Syed Munawar Hassan, Jamaat-e-Islami, former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, PKMAP, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, PML, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, PML-A, Imran Khan, PTI, Hasil Khan Bazenjo, NPB, Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi, TJP, Senator Shahid Hassan Bugti, JWP, Akhtar Mengal, BNP (Mengal Group), Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, Tahrik-e-Minhaj-ul-Quran, Hamid Ali Shah Moosvi, TNFJ, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, JUI-S, M. Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, Sunni Tahrik, Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyab, Nizam-e-Mustafa Party, Sahibzada Abu Khair Muhammad Zubair, JUP-N, Pir Fazal Haq, Jamiat Mashaikh, Sahibzada Haji Muhammad Fazal Karim, Chairman, Sunni Ittehad Council, Khan Amanullah Khan, PML-Q, and Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Harmony Dr. Paul Bhatti.

Additionally Ameer Hussain Gilani, Mufti Feroze Din Hazarvi, Mutahidda Ulema Forum Pakistan, Abdul Qadeer Khamosh, Allama Tahir Ashrafi, Chairman Ulema Council Bait-ul-Aman, Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan, former Prime Minister AJK, Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, and Leader of Opposition in Senate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri will be attending the APC.

PML-N asks government to hold joint-session of Parliament

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has suggested the government to summon a joint-session of parliament to discuss issues pertaining to national security and forge a unique strategy to deal with the prevailing situation.

PML-N leader Senator Ishaq Dar wrote a letter to Gilani in which he has asked that a joint-session of Parliament be summoned immediately.

In the letter Dar said that the briefing by Leon Panetta and Mike Mullen in which accusations were leveled against Pakistan was meant to increase the morale of US troops in Afghanistan.

According to Dar, Panetta and Mullen were responsible for the lack of security and protection for US troops in Afghanistan.

Dar added that in the present situation it was necessary for the government to have the alliance of political parties and parliament members.

PML-N to hold party meeting

Meanwhile, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of senior party leaders on Tuesday.

According to a private news channel, a party policy will be formed after discussing the recent US accusations, the APC and the proposal to call a session of parliament.