By Iftikhar Mashwani
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited parliamentary leaders and heads of political parties for an in-camera briefing on the evolving regional and domestic security situation, his adviser Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media, Sanaullah said the meeting will be held today at 11:30am to discuss security challenges arising from tensions in the Middle East and Pakistan’s response to recent provocative actions by the Afghan Taliban along the border.
“We have come to invite opposition leaders and party heads on the instructions of the prime minister,” he said, adding that participants had been asked to share their views above partisan considerations. He stressed that no political demands should be linked to the meeting.
Opposition leaders, he said, would consult their respective parties before deciding on participation.
However, National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai suggested that the briefing should be extended to the entire Parliament instead of a limited group. “Given the dangerous regional developments, Parliament must be kept fully informed. We will convey our response after consulting our colleagues by tomorrow morning,” he said.
The briefing comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran. According to US officials, the operation launched on February 28 aimed to damage Iran’s naval and missile capabilities.
At the same time, Pakistan is facing increased cross-border militancy from Afghanistan. Security forces are conducting ground and aerial operations under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against Afghan Taliban elements and Fitna al-Khawarij militants involved in recent border incursions.
The operation was launched on February 27 after Afghan Taliban fighters reportedly opened unprovoked fire along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Since then, security forces have killed 464 militants and injured more than 660 others, while destroying 188 Taliban checkposts and capturing 31 posts.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar confirmed that the prime minister would provide an in-camera briefing to political leaders and said Rana Sanaullah had been tasked with formally extending invitations to party heads.

