ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s opposition parties have criticised Prime Minister Sharif’s decision to launch a countrywide military operation dubbed “Azmi Istekam” (Commitment to Stability) aimed at eradicating extremism and terrorism in the country. The move comes close after Beijing warned Islamabad, pointing out security as a major challenge threatening the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, along with other opposition lawmakers, rejected any military operation without prior parliamentary consultation. “Our demand is that any operation, whether it is intelligence-based or full-fledged, in a particular district, village or tehsil, must have the confidence of parliament,” PTI leader Gohar Khan said. Referring to past practice, he called for closed-door briefings by army officers.
Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan echoed the call for parliamentary approval for the military operation, saying “Chinese authorities expressed concerns about the security of CPEC during their visit.”
Militant groups have increasingly targeted Chinese interests in Pakistan, particularly in the northwest and southwest regions, including the CPEC. Two attacks in March — an attempted incursion by the Baloch Liberation Army into a Gwadar Port Authority facility and a suicide bombing targeting a convoy of Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Shanla district, killing several people — highlighted the ongoing threat.
Liu Jianchao, a senior Chinese official, stressed that security threats to CPEC are the main threat to cooperation and the success of the project. “As the saying goes, trust is more precious than gold. In Pakistan’s case, the main factor shaking the confidence of Chinese investors is the security situation,” Liu Jianchao said at the third meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Consultative Mechanism.
Prime Minister Sharif’s office announced the operation on Saturday, asserting that it would deploy Pakistan’s comprehensive military, diplomatic, legislative and socio-economic resources to decisively counter terrorism and extremism.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, along with other opposition lawmakers, rejected any military operation without prior parliamentary consultation. “Our demand is that any operation, whether it is intelligence-based or full-fledged, in a particular district, village or tehsil, must have the confidence of parliament,” PTI leader Gohar Khan said. Referring to past practice, he called for closed-door briefings by army officers.
Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan echoed the call for parliamentary approval for the military operation, saying “Chinese authorities expressed concerns about the security of CPEC during their visit.”
Militant groups have increasingly targeted Chinese interests in Pakistan, particularly in the northwest and southwest regions, including the CPEC. Two attacks in March — an attempted incursion by the Baloch Liberation Army into a Gwadar Port Authority facility and a suicide bombing targeting a convoy of Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Shanla district, killing several people — highlighted the ongoing threat.
Liu Jianchao, a senior Chinese official, stressed that security threats to CPEC are the main threat to cooperation and the success of the project. “As the saying goes, trust is more precious than gold. In Pakistan’s case, the main factor shaking the confidence of Chinese investors is the security situation,” Liu Jianchao said at the third meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Consultative Mechanism.
Prime Minister Sharif’s office announced the operation on Saturday, asserting that it would deploy Pakistan’s comprehensive military, diplomatic, legislative and socio-economic resources to decisively counter terrorism and extremism.
