PML-N and PPP Refuse to Sign APC Declaration Demanding Halt to Military Operations

 

In a recent All Parties Conference (APC) hosted by the Awami National Party (ANP) in Islamabad, a proposed declaration sparked a major disagreement, leading to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to refuse to sign it. The conference aimed to address critical issues facing Pakistan, including military operations, political unrest, and human rights.

A Call to Halt Military Operations

The core of the dispute was a declaration that demanded an immediate halt to all military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan. The document also described terrorism, extremism, and lawlessness as a direct result of poor government policies.

During the event, ANP chief Aimal Wali Khan highlighted the dire situation in Waziristan, noting that many residents have not been able to return home for over a decade. “Asking for our rights should not be seen as being against Pakistan,” he stated.

Similarly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the JUI-F, criticized the current government, calling it an “establishment’s government” rather than one that represents the people. He warned that peaceful protests being branded as rebellion could push movements towards revolt.

PML-N and PPP Reject the Declaration

While most parties in attendance supported the communiqué, the PML-N and PPP did not. The two parties boycotted the final press conference and refused to endorse the declaration’s strong language against state policies.

PML-N leader Irfan Siddiqui supported the call for a national dialogue but questioned if politicians were truly blameless, saying, “This same army has defeated an enemy five times its size.” He argued that the military was working in Pakistan’s best interest. “If martial law was truly in place, such conferences would not even be possible,” he added, directly challenging the declaration’s underlying criticisms.

PPP’s Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and PML-N’s Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also refused to sign. “These are your demands, not ours, and we cannot endorse them,” Siddiqui said on behalf of his party.

Key Demands of the Declaration

The declaration that caused the split included several significant demands:

• Immediate halt to military operations in K-P and Balochistan.
• Establishment of a Truth Commission to investigate human and financial losses from conflict.
• Disbanding of “death squads” and other illegal armed groups.
• Recognition of provinces’ rights over their resources as per the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
• Abolition of unconstitutional bodies like the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
• Recovery and production of all missing persons before courts, describing enforced disappearances as a blatant violation of the Constitution.
• Release of all “political prisoners” and the repeal of unjust laws.
• Rehabilitation of areas affected by terrorism and military operations, including compensation and return of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Despite the disagreement, the conference participants did express sorrow over the recent devastating floods in K-P and postponed a scheduled “Peace March” in light of the natural disaster.