ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited his political rival and predecessor, ex-premier Imran Khan to an All Parties Conference (APC) to be held on February 7, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said on Thursday, adding that the meeting would take stock of the country's "national challenges."

The prime minister's invitation comes at a time when political tensions in the country are high, as ex-PM Khan accuses the government of adopting fascist policies towards his allies and supporters. On Wednesday night, when Khan's close aide Chaudhry Fawad Hussain was released on bail in a sedition case, police arrested another key Khan ally, ex-interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, from Rawalpindi. 

Ousted via a parliamentary vote in April last year, ex-premier Khan blames PM Sharif and his coalition government for orchestrating his ouster through a Washington-backed conspiracy. The ruling coalition government and the U.S. have strongly denied the allegations. 

Khan, on numerous occasions, has categorically rejected any possibility of holding talks with members of the coalition government, whom he labels frequently as a "cabal of crooks" in social media posts. However, Sharif's invitation comes at a time when Pakistan faces a severe economic crisis, with reserves down $3 billion as it grapples with decades-high inflation and a depreciating currency. 

"Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday called an All Parties Conference (APC) of leadership across the political spectrum to discuss ways to overcome the current national challenges," APP said. "The prime minister also invited Chairman Pakistan Tehreek I Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan to attend the conference."

Pakistan's problems have been compounded by the resurgence of the Pakistani Taliban or the TTP. Ever since a fragile truce between the state and the TTP broke down last year, the banned outfit has mounted numerous attacks on Pakistan's security forces. 

On Monday, a suicide bomber targeted a mosque in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city, killing 101 people and injuring over 200. Police say they are still probing the incident and have vowed to expose the attacker's facilitators. While the group distanced itself from the attack, a senior TTP commander claimed responsibility for it. 

According to the APP, federal minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq contacted Khan's aides Asad Qaiser and former defense minister Pervez Khattak to convey the premier's invitation to the PTI chief. PM Sharif also invited two members of the PTI to attend an apex committee meeting in Peshawar on Friday. 

Sadiq requested the PTI leaders to inform him about the two nominated representatives of the party for the apex committee meeting. "All stakeholders including Rangers and officers of the intelligence institutions will attend the meeting of the committee to be held at the Governor House in Peshawar," the APP added. 

The committee, the state-run agency said, would "consider steps to eradicate terrorism" and upgrade the police force and the Counter-Terrorism Department.