Talks with Kabul, TTP attacks can’t go hand in hand: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday asked the Afghan government once again to act against the TTP carrying out terror activities inside Pakistan from across the Afghan border, calling it unacceptable and a red line for Pakistan.

“Unfortunately, TTP is operating from Afghanistan and carrying out terror attacks and killing innocent people inside Pakistan. This cannot go on. We have conveyed to the Afghan government that we desire good ties with them but TTP should be stopped from killing our innocent people. This is our red line,” Shehbaz said in his opening remarks in a federal cabinet meeting.

He said Afghanistan was a neighboring country with thousands of kilometer-long shared border. “We desire cordial ties and cooperation in trade, economy and other sectors,” he added.

The prime minister asked the Afghan government to formulate a solid strategy as Pakistan was ready to talk with them on the issue. “The policy of talks and allowing the TTP to operate against Pakistan can’t go simultaneously,” he remarked.

He said the armed forces and law-enforcement agencies were all-time ready to ensure the country’s peace and security.

On the issue of shortage of medicines in Parachinar, he told the cabinet members that the federal government had supplied 1,000 kilograms of medicines to the area through helicopter which also airlifted patients from there who were being treated in Islamabad.

The prime minister apprised the meeting of his telephonic conversation with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to condole the plane crash which killed 38 people and left 24 injured.

He expressed the hope that the Pakistan-Azerbaijan ties would strengthen in the coming months. About the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, he said arrangements for the international sports event had been made and expressed the hope that the people of Pakistan will witness high-quality cricket.

The prime minister told the cabinet members that under the ADR agreed with the banks and the government, Rs70 billion will go to the national kitty in a year and around Rs240 billion in three years. He said in recent years, banks had earned windfall profits owing to the high interest rate.

The matter will be approved by the cabinet before the final nod by the President of Pakistan.

The prime minister took notice of complaints and directed provision of uninterrupted gas supply to the consumers during the winter season. Shehbaz directed that the issue be resolved permanently by bringing reforms in the system structure. “Providing gas to domestic consumers is the government’s top priority,” the prime minister said.

The meeting was informed that there was surplus RLNG in the system, leading to improvements in gas load management compared to the last year. The meeting was told that the duration of gas load shedding this year was shorter than the last year.

Gas is being provided to domestic consumers from 5am to 10pm, while gas is also being provided to the power sector according to its demand, the meeting was further informed.

Similarly, it was told that online dashboards for consumer complaints by the SNGPL and SSGC were operational and the complaint resolution rate for SNGPL was 93%, while SSGC’’s rate was 79%. As per the briefing, all gas fields in the country were active.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday directed the authorities concerned to take a strict punitive action within a week against the culprits involved in human trafficking.

The prime minister chaired a review meeting on the prevention of human trafficking in the country, a PM Office press release said.

During the meeting, the report of the committee formed under the chairmanship of Mushtaq Sukhera was presented in view of the migrant boat capsize near Greece in December 2024. The premier thanked Mushtaq Sukhera for compiling a comprehensive report on the matter.

He also directed that the prosecution process be made more effective against the people involved in human trafficking. “Why no disciplinary action has been taken against the government officials who facilitate people involved in human trafficking?” the prime minister asked.

He directed visa checks and other regulations effective for all those going abroad.

“The Government of Pakistan is committed to the complete elimination of human trafficking from the country,” he added.

The prime minister also issued instructions for the constitution of a committee, headed by the interior minister, to find a sustainable solution to end human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took further steps in agriculture sector by forming an eight-member cabinet committee on essential and cash crops.

The prime minister will head the committee. The committee will take measures, including assessing production estimates and consumption of important crops like wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, edible oil and maize.

Sources said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema have been included in the committee as members. Provincial chief ministers or their nominated representatives will be invited to the meetings of the committee, as and when required.

The TORs for the committee have also been finalised. According to TORs, the committee will review production estimates of wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, edible oil and maize and consumption of important crops randomly.

The committee will coordinate at the national level to ensure adequate area under cultivation of major crops, keeping in mind exports and domestic needs.

The federal and provincial agricultural research systems will be integrated and harmonised to increase per hectare production. Appropriate price of agricultural inputs for agriculture will be determined and their timely availability ensured.