Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah said the government could reconsider its approach toward Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) if the party agreed to fulfil its constitutional and legal responsibilities.
Speaking about political tensions, Mr. Sanaullah said former Prime Minister Imran Khan had not even telephoned the opposition leader while in office, contrasting his conduct with that of the current prime minister, who he said greets the opposition leader whenever he attends Parliament. He added that the opposition was harming itself through its own conduct.
Mr. Sanaullah said the government regretted having to place Mr. Khan’s sisters under preventive detention, but argued that their remarks concerning the planned long march had made the measure necessary. He alleged that they had called for an assault on the Governor’s House and said the restrictions were imposed to control the situation.
He also criticised what he described as inflammatory rhetoric from PTI’s social media network.
Mr. Sanaullah said an interim political arrangement would not have been necessary had the party agreed to play its constitutional and legal role. He added that the possibility of reconsideration remained open if PTI changed its approach.
Turning to national security, he warned that Pakistan’s stability could be threatened unless terrorism was eliminated promptly, the nation united against militant violence and federal and provincial governments adopted a coordinated policy.
Mr. Sanaullah also alleged that India, unable to wage a conventional war against Pakistan, had established bases in Afghanistan and was financing terrorist attacks. He said countries across the region increasingly viewed Pakistan as a provider of security.
