PTI and JUI-F Condemn Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, Demand Parliamentary Involvement
Operation Azm-e-Istehkam | News and Media| Updated July 2 2024
Islamabad, June 23 – Following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Awami National Party (ANP) opposition, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has also condemned Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, declaring it a “destabilising initiative” that will further weaken Pakistan.
During a press conference after a meeting with Dr. Malik Baloch, Asghar Achakzai, Khushal Khan Kakar, and Abdul Khaliq Hazara, Rehman declared, “This is not Operation Azm-e-Istehkam but rather operation ‘Adm-e-Istehkam,’ which will make Pakistan even more vulnerable.” He emphasized the need to end the establishment’s dominance in all aspects of governance. “We are all equal citizens of this country. One class should not consider itself rulers while the rest remain subjects. Our history is about fighting against slavery, and we will not be treated like animals,” he asserted.
PTI Demands Parliamentary Approval for Military Operations
On the same day, the PTI and its members under the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) refused to support any military operation without parliamentary approval. Speaking to the media outside Parliament House in Islamabad after walking out from the National Assembly, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar emphasized that any military operation must involve parliamentary consent, stating, “The Parliament is supreme under the Constitution.”
He called for an in-camera briefing by military leaders, citing previous practices. “It is our demand […] that if there is any operation — whether intelligence-based or full-fledged or in certain districts or villages or tehsils — it is necessary to take this Parliament into confidence,” he added.
Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser echoed these sentiments, demanding that any decision to launch an operation be brought before Parliament. “We cannot endorse any military operation without parliamentary involvement. Significant decisions are being made without consulting the opposition,” he declared.
Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub argued that peace could only be achieved through the rule of law, not by force. He highlighted the necessity of parliamentary approval for operations, noting that “Chinese officials, during their visit, expressed concerns over CPEC security.”
The SIC members, backed by PTI, staged a walkout from the NA session in protest of being denied the opportunity to speak. They vocally protested against the operations in FATA and K-P and condemned the killing of Pakhtuns.
Approval of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam
The Central Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam on June 22 to reinvigorate and re-energize the national anti-terrorism campaign for eradicating terrorism and extremism across the country. The meeting included key federal cabinet members, provincial chief ministers, services chiefs, and other senior civilian, military, and law enforcement officials.
The forum conducted a comprehensive review of the ongoing anti-terrorism campaign and internal security situation. It examined the progress of the National Action Plan’s multi-domain principles and highlighted areas where implementation was lacking, stressing the need for a dynamic counter-terrorism strategy based on national consensus and broad systemic coordination.
National Assembly Session: Chaos and Criticism
The National Assembly session, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, witnessed a chaotic situation when PTI-backed SIC members staged a walkout during the budget discussion. PPP leader Mahesh Kumar Malani criticized the budget as challenging and dictated by the IMF. JUI-F member Shahida Akhtar argued that the budget was crafted to meet the IMF’s desires and demanded an audit for transparency.
Further criticisms came from MQM-P’s Aminul Haq, who highlighted the budget’s focus on paying interest on loans. PPP’s Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah warned that the budget would increase public hardships and emphasized the need to control population growth.
Government ministers urged the opposition to return to the assembly, and opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan eventually led the members back to the house. The SIC protested vocally against giving the microphone to Khawaja Asif, raising slogans to halt the operations in FATA and condemning the killing of Pakhtuns.
Fazlur Rehman’s condemnation and the PTI’s demands for parliamentary approval add to the growing opposition against Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, raising questions about its potential impact on national stability and the balance of power between civilian and military institutions in Pakistan.
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