All Parties Conference tomorrow

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in consultation with the political leadership of the country called All Parties Conference (APC) tomorrow (Tuesday) to review the impending threats to national security coming from across the border after the Mumbai terrorist attacks. The sources in the Prime Minister Secretariat disclosed to TheNation that the APC, in which political leadership, within and without the Parliament, would primarily evolve consensus on the issues relating to the national security and tackling the irrational and wild allegations coming from across the border implicating Pakistan in Mumbai attacks. The APC will start at 2:30pm at Prime Minister House and almost all the political parties both within in the Parliament and outside will be participating in the conference just to give the message that all the political forces in the country are united. Pakistan has already come out clear on Mumbai incident and assured full cooperation to India in tracking down the culprits of the mayhem and at the same time asked the Indian government to provide it proofs if the terrorists, involved in Mumbai attacks, had some roots or links in Pakitan. The top political and military leadership of Pakistan in a meeting on late Saturday night had already made it clear that the government of Pakistan abhors and denounces terrorism in all its manifestations and forms, and nobody would be allowed to use Pakistan's territory for such nefarious acts. The sources further disclosed that the decision of calling APC on the issue and taking all the political forces aboard was taken in the meeting of the President, Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff. The meeting was held on late Saturday night in which Prime Minister Gilani also briefed the President and Army Chief about his telephonic contacts with the political leaders, who, according to the sources, were of the view that an APC should be called without any delay. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani continued contacting political leadership on Sunday and telephoned former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Prime Minister AJK Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan, Allama Sajid Naqvi, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Dr Abdul Malik, Israrullah Zehri, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Munir Khan Orakzai and Senators Shahid Bugti, Ismail Baladi and Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyab. The political parties heads advised Prime Minister to summon conference of heads of all political parties to counterblast the Indian accusations of Mumbai attacks and formulate defense strategy in this connection. It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Gilani had started contacting political parties heads on Saturday and talked with PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML-N Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain, ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali, JUI-F Chief and Chairman Kashmir Committee of the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Tehrik-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, PML-F's Pir Sahib Pagara, PPP (S) chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, PKMAP Chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, former prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Air Marshal (Retd) Asghar Khan, Dr Abdul Hye Baloch, Senator Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, Senator Sajid Mir, JUI (S) Chief Maulana Samiul Haq, Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosvi, Dr Tahir ul Qadri and Raja Zulqarnain Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Maqbool Malik adds: PML-N Sunday decided to extend unconditional support to the PPP-led coalition government in tackling the situation that had cropped up in the wake of Mumbai terrorist attacks and Indian government efforts to drag Pakistan into the conflict. PML-N announced the decision after an informal consultative meeting with party Quiad Nawaz Sharif in the chair here today. According to the party sources the meeting discussed the situation arising out of the Indian efforts to implicate Pakistan and emphasized the need for forging national consensus in the country. The meeting also nominated party's senior leader and opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudry Nisar Ali Khan to meet Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on Monday and apprise him about party's decision. Later talking to the media, PML-N central information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that India should not blame Pakistan for terror attacks in Mumbai for electioneering rather the concerned government should interrogate terrorist groups working in its own territory. "Indian government should not canvass by accusing Pakistan for terrorist attacks in Mumbai and dragging latter into conflict," said Ahsan Iqbal. He said no doubt, terror attack was an inhuman activity and we strongly condemn it but any design against Pakistan would never be tolerated as the government and people of Pakistan always supported peace. Ahsan Iqbal said if India does not give up blame game against Pakistan, it would drag whole South Asian region into conflict. Meanwhile, Chairman PTI Imran Khan would participate in the national security conference convened by Prime Minister Sayed Yousuf Raza Gilani, a party spokesman said on Sunday. Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Central Information Secretary of the PTI, said despite differences, the party stands united with the government on matter of national security as solidarity of Pakistan comes first. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister cancelled his official visit to Hong Kong in view of the volatile situation prevailing in the country. Special Advisor to PM on Social Sector Shahnaz Wazir Ali will now represent Pakistan at the Bill Clinton Global Initiative Summit at Hong Kong.

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