Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry during an appearance on Geo News’ morning show ‘Geo Pakistan’ revealed that the prime minister’s absence from the military and intelligence leadership’s briefing on national security, Afghanistan, and Kashmir to parliamentary leaders was to accommodate the Leader of Opposition, Shehbaz Sharif.
“The prime minister was scheduled to attend the national security huddle, but the Opposition leader [Shehbaz Sharif] had conveyed to the Speaker [National Assembly] that if [PM Imran Khan] came to the briefing, he would not attend,” said Fawad.
Fawad added that the government hopes and prays that there is a peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan.
“We are pushing for negotiations in Afghanistan,” he said.
“There are three million Afghan nationals in Pakistan. If another three million are pushed in, it will put a lot of pressure on our economy,” he said.
“It won’t be so easy for the Taliban to take over the government,” Chaudhry said on the prospects for peace in the war-torn neighbour. “We want that the Afghan Taliban and the Ghani government negotiate [a way out].”
“We are only concerned when India uses Afghan territories against us,” he added. “[Meanwhile], we will continue to try and mediate between the Afghan Taliban and the Ghani government.”
However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz Sharif did not send any message to anyone.
“Fawad Chaudhry is a propaganda machine, the meeting was called by the Speaker. How could Shehba Sharif stop him [from inviting someone]? Shehbaz Sharif did not send him any message,” tweeted Marriyum Aurangzeb.
PML-N spokesperson further said that if there is any official correspondence of Shehbaz Sharif or his office regarding this matter, it should be made public.
