PTI ‘opts out’ of today’s in-camera huddle on security

ISLAMABAD: In a significant political development, the government on Tuesday invited the main opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to sit together and shun their differences specifically for the sake of external and internal security threats to Pakistan and fragile security situation in the region.

The ruling PML-N extended the olive branch to the PTI when Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah met Mehmood Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas, leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively, inviting them to attend an important in-camera briefing, convened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at his office at 11:00am today.

However, the PTI has decided not to attend any meeting unless a meeting with its founder Imran Khan is arranged.

Govt had invited all parties to the briefing, convened by PM Shehbaz

The decision was made during the meeting of the party’s political committee, held on Tuesday.

Earlier, after meeting opposition leaders, Mr Sanaullah and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told reporters in Parliament House they met Mr Achakzai and Mr Abbas to extend PM’s invitation to them for the Wednesday meeting, planned at 11:30am. They told the opposition leaders the government needed their opinion and guidance on the matter.

“Prime Minister (Shahbaz Sharif) has invited all heads of parliamentary parties for a meeting to be held at 11:30 tomorrow (Wednesday) to discuss Afghan regime-backed terrorism against Pakistan and happenings in Iran these days,” Mr Sanaullah said, adding that the opposition leaders said they would come up with a decision after consulting other opposition leaders.

Responding to a question, he said the government contacted almost all parliamentary parties, reiterating that PTI chairman Barrister Gohar had also been invited to the briefing.

Asked if the government had accepted any condition of PTI for participating in the meeting, Mr Sanaullah said: “Neither we have any condition nor we accept any condition of any other side because we are inviting the parties for a specific cause that they (parties) have to give importance keeping aside their political objectives.” However, he added, the PTI could ask any question or come up with any condition at the meeting as “deadlock is not the solution of any problem but dialogue. No benefit will go to PTI if it refuses the dialogue process”.

In the past, the PTI had refused to sit with the government on many other important issues except for a condition that the government had to release PTI founder Imran Khan from jail.

Replying a question, he said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir were using their personal relations and influence for de-escalation in the war US-Israel war on Iran. “We are quite hopeful for success in this,” he added.

Mr Chaudhry said the prevailing fragile situation required that all parties to think above their political affiliations and interests and attend the huddle.

Earlier, PM Shahbaz along with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Azam Nazeer Tarar, besides Mr Sanaullah met a PPP delegation comprising Senator Sherry Rehman, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, and Aijaz Jakhrani and discussed the prevailing political situation in the country and developments in the region.

The ruling party ally was also invited to the in-camera briefing on the security issues.

Pak-Saudi defence pact

Earlier in the day, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the National Assembly session that the government was inviting parliamentarians to an in-camera briefing, scheduled for Wednesday, on the regional situation. He said the parliamentary leaders and party heads were being invited to “sit down and develop a course of action so we can move forward”.

“There are sensitivities we have to take into account and things that you cannot discuss openly, considering the tension in the region and our relations with brotherly Muslim countries,” the law minister said, adding that Pakistan shared friendly relations with Iran and “we also have longstanding relations with other countries”.

“In particular, Saudi Arabia, with whom we are in a defence agreement,” the minister said.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2026