Pakistan: Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Pervaiz Rashid, said yesterday that preparations for an all-parties conference on July 12 had been completed.
He said the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani will brief the forum on national security. He said the PML-N government was committed to overcoming terrorism and would send invitations to all parties for the conference.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan has cancelled his trip to Europe to attend the forum. He will go to Europe to meet his children and have a check-up on July 13 upon a request by the government. Drone attacks, Baluchistan, war on terror and national security policy are on the agenda of the forum. Rashid said political will was needed to curb terrorism and militancy and added that the government would hold talks with the Taliban within the limits of the constitution. He blamed the previous government for not taking steps to root out terrorism.
He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif discussed with politicians and heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies ways to prepare an anti-terrorism policy. On the cases against former president Pervez Musharraf, he said the matter was sub judice and would be tackled according to the constitution. Internews
