ISLAMABAD: Former premier Imran Khan’s political faction announced on Friday it would not attend an all-parties conference (APC) arranged by the government next week to discuss the growing threat of militant violence in the country.
The invitation to the event was extended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday who called for national unity over the issue while asking Pakistan’s top political leaders to rise above their differences and collectively tackle the threat against the state and its people.
He also invited Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to the conference which would be held on February 7.
“How can we sit with the government which is registering cases against us,” asked PTI general secretary Asad Umar while interacting with the media outside the Lahore High Court.
He acknowledged the growing threat of violence but pointed out that state resources were used to file treason cases against the leaders of his political party, instead of fighting the scourge of militancy.
The government decided to call the APC in the wake of a deadly suicide attack that killed at least 100 people at a mosque at Peshawar’s police headquarters during a prayer congregation Monday afternoon.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in extremist violence since a fragile trace between the government and a proscribed militant faction, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), came to an end last November.
A TTP commander also claimed the attack on the mosque before his group distanced itself from the incident by issuing another statement.
Ex-PM Khan’s party refuses to attend national conference on growing threat of militant violence
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Ex-PM Khan’s party refuses to attend national conference on growing threat of militant violence
- Asad Umar says government inviting PTI leaders for dialogue while registering treason cases against them
- PM Sharif called the all-parties conference next week, asking political leaders to rise above their differences
Pakistan expresses solidarity with Switzerland as ski resort explosion kills 40, injures 100
- Explosion occurred at crowded bar in upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve party
- Swiss authorities say they are still investigating the cause of the explosion, which appears to be an accident
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed solidarity with Switzerland after an explosion at the bar of a ski resort in the country killed at least 40 people and injured 100.
The explosion occurred at a crowded bar during a New Year’s Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana on Wednesday night, Swiss authorities said. The fire broke out at 1.30 a.m. (0030 GMT) in a bar called “Le Constellation” in southwestern Switzerland.
Swiss authorities say they are still investigating the cause of the blast, saying it appears to be an accident.
“Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic fire incident at a ski resort in Switzerland on New Year night,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives and pray for the early recovery of the injured. We stand in solidarity with the Swiss Government and the people of Switzerland at this difficult time.”
https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/2006677928663462347
Frederic Gisler, the head of police of Valais canton, said patients had been dispatched to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich.
“Our count is about 100 injured, most seriously, and unfortunately tens of people are presumed dead,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said fireworks may have caused the explosion.
“It seems to have been an accident caused by a fire, by some explosion, by some firecracker thrown during New Year’s celebrations,” he told Italy’s Sky TG24 tv channel.
