ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said the government will not allow PTI to pressure it into accepting political demands by creating instability or holding the state “hostage”.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad on Wednesday, Sanaullah said the government’s doors for dialogue remained open, but negotiations could not be used as a tool to force political decisions.
His remarks came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged PTI leadership to abandon its protest plans and return to dialogue. Sanaullah reiterated the prime minister’s position, saying meaningful talks were possible but political pressure would not be accepted.
The government and opposition recently reached a deadlock during their second round of negotiations, which focused on PTI’s planned October 4 march towards Islamabad. PTI later said reconciliation was not possible without involving incarcerated party founder Imran Khan in the talks.
PTI has also accused the government of excluding it from decisions on counterterrorism policy. Sanaullah rejected the claim as misleading, saying the government was already implementing its policy through intelligence-based operations across the country.
He said security forces and law enforcement agencies were conducting daily intelligence-based operations against militants and had achieved significant successes. He also dismissed concerns that a new military operation would lead to large-scale displacement.
Sanaullah recalled the government’s 2024 announcement of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, later clarified as an intensified continuation of existing intelligence-based operations under Vision Azm-i-Istehkam.
The adviser said security personnel continued to sacrifice their lives in the fight against terrorism and stressed that the country’s counterterrorism policy was already being implemented.
On Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions, Sanaullah said Islamabad had been justified in demanding that Afghan territory not be used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
He said Pakistan had presented evidence to Afghan authorities during several rounds of talks regarding attacks originating from Afghanistan. According to Sanaullah, the Afghan interim government acknowledged the evidence but did not provide guarantees that its territory would not be used for attacks against Pakistan.
He maintained that Pakistan had the right to neutralise terrorist training camps or activities on Afghan soil that could threaten the country.
Sanaullah also criticised PTI and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for what he described as prioritising political interests over national security. Referring to recent terrorist attacks and the deaths of civilians, children and security personnel, he said political protests should not take precedence over the country’s national interest.
The PML-N leader further criticised the KP government’s performance, alleging that governance and public welfare were not among PTI’s priorities.
He stressed that political agendas must not be placed above national interests, constitutional responsibilities and political ethics.
