Govt constitutes committee to negotiate with JI, says info minister

Govt constitutes committee to negotiate with JI, says info minister

Islamabad (Web Desk): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday offered the Jamat-e-Islami (JI) to sit with the government to steer the country out of crises.

Addressing a joint conference alongside Federal Minister Amir Muqam in Islamabad, he said that Jamat-e-Islam was permitted to organise its rally or sit-in at the Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi, but insistence on moving toward Islamabad is beyond understanding.

The minister said that the government is ready to sit with JI Emir Hafiz Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman and his team to listen to their concerns.

He said that the government has constituted a three-member committee comprising him, Amir Muqam and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to negotiate with the JI leadership.

Talking about Azm-e-Istehkam campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Amir Muqam said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Director General Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), and Apex committee have very clearly stated that it is not a military operation.

He said that it is a continuity of the anti-terrorism drive as envisioned by the nation in the National Action Plan.

The minister said that police will lead the operations against terrorists and then there will be FC to support the police.

“However, army will act in border regions if the need arises,” he added.

Amir Muqam said that maintaining law and order is the sole responsibility of the provincial government and thew Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been ruling KP for the third consecutive term.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said it would have been better had the KP chief minister told the people about actions against the timber mafia operating in the province instead of misguiding the people.

He said that the KP had signed an agreement with a fake organisation to train the youth in the field of artificial intelligence.

“This organisation has no legal standing to award students a valid and acceptable certificate,” the information minister said.