Stung by violence in country, Pakistan Parliament summons Army and ISI chief for in-camera briefing

As violence grips several parts of Pakistan, including the restive provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) bordering Iran and Afghanistan, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has summoned the joint session of the National Assembly (lower house) and the Senate of Pakistan (upper house) on Wednesday where the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir and heads of various intelligence agencies will give an in-camera briefing on various matters of national security.

Reports suggest that separate briefings will also be given by security and intelligence agencies, including Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Military Intelligence (MI) regarding the current security situation in KP and Balochistan.

The progress of recently-launched military operation 'Azm-e-Istehkam Pakistan' will also be presented.

It is believed that the decision to brief the parliamentarians and senators about the security situation has been taken after strong criticism and questions being raised by political parties, including leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam — Fazl (JUI-F), on the floor of the house during different parliament sessions.

"The military establishment not only wants to put an end to the public criticism by politicians but will also call on the parliamentarians to refrain from inflicting negative impact on the reputation of the country's armed forces. Going forward, it wants to retain the confidence of parliament and senate on the ongoing anti-terrorism campaign and operations," said political analyst Kamran Yousaf.

Pakistan has been under a severe pressure amid a major surge in terrorist and militant attacks in Balochistan and KP since the Afghan Taliban took control over the bordering Afghanistan in 2021, releasing thousands of militants of its affiliate group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) along with other groups including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

Pakistan claims that TTP militants were not only released by the Afghan government from their jails, but were also facilitated, harboured and funded, allowing them to regroup and reorganise themselves to carry out terror activities in Pakistan.

The Pakistani authorities claim that BLA, which has recently joined hands with the TTP, is also enjoying extended hidden support from the Afghan Taliban to spread chaos, bloodshed and unrest in the country.

From targeted attacks on security check posts, security convoys and police camps, the terror activities have extended to ethnic attacks, especially in Balochistan, where multiple incidents of militant attacks have occurred in which people from others parts of Pakistan, especially the Punjab region, are identified and killed by miscreants.

Recently, gunmen attacked a gas company and set ablaze at least eight bulldozers, besides abducting over 20 labourers. Police authorities confirmed that the abducted labourers belonged to the Punjab province.

In a separate incident, at least seven labourers, hailing from the same family, were shot dead by gunmen in Balochistan's Panjgur district. All of the seven killed hailed from Punjab province.

The incidents have put a big question mark over the ability of country's security forces with questions being raised in and outside the Parliament.

This prompted the military establishment to call an in-camera briefing session with the parliamentarians and the senators about the critical security situation in the country and the progress of the armed forces along with the intelligence agencies in their fight against terror outfits spreading unrest in the country.