Tehreek-e-Insaf slams US strikes, demands APC

Express Tribune

6 days ago

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday came out swinging against the United States for launching strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling it a dangerous escalation and demanding that the government urgently convene an All Parties Conference (APC) to forge a consensus-driven and unequivocal policy on an increasingly belligerent Israel, which it said is pushing the entire region to the brink of a devastating war.
Slamming the blatant violation of international law and Iran's sovereignty, the PTI decried Washington's actions and accused the coalition government of burying its head in the sand while the region teetered on the brink of a devastating conflict.
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram warned that the flames of war have already reached Pakistan's doorstep, and the government's current "ostrich-like approach" was both futile and perilous.
He insisted the rapidly changing regional dynamics required swift, strategic, and united action.
PTI Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar said that the US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities was condemnable, saying the action was not only a violation of international norms, laws and UN resolutions but also a violation of the sovereignty of the Iranian state. "Such unilateral actions pose a serious threat to global peace and security, as well as the sovereignty of every country," the senator said.
Zafar said that the UN and the international community must intervene and resolve the issues quickly to prevent further tension in the region. "We stand with Iran and the Iranian people in this difficult time," he said.
The PTI information secretary underlined that Pakistan can undoubtedly weather the storm, just as it did against India, but the power elites must take the nation into confidence and forge a consensus-driven approach because Pakistan was currently caught between a rock and a hard place.
In light of the escalating crisis, the PTI spokesperson called for the immediate release of PTI Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan and his inclusion in strategic decision-making regarding the situation arising from Israel's unprovoked attack on Iran and the subsequent US strikes on the country.
Waqas praised Khan's foresight, noting that a week earlier, he had sent a message through his sisters to postpone the protest for two weeks due to the Iran-Israel conflict.
Meanwhile, he added that US President Donald Trump issued a deceptive signal, claiming he would not engage in the Israel war for the next two weeks.
He said that Khan's famous quote, "No one understands the West better than me", proved to be true.
PTI leader lashed out at the imposed government for its habit of flattery, which he said now had crossed the national boundaries and was visible internationally. He recalled that PTI patron-in-chief had stated on the floor of the House that Pakistan could partner with the US in peace, but not in war, as the country had already paid an immeasurable cost in terms of both lives and resources for siding with the US in its meaningless and unnecessary wars.
He pleaded that Israel could not have invaded Iran without the strong backing and support of the US, which was evident from the airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities even after Tehran was given a two-week ultimatum, simply at the behest of the Israeli premier.
The party said that the US not only violated Iran's sovereignty but also breached the UN Charter, an act that could have far-reaching and catastrophic consequences at both regional and international levels.
He maintained that the excuse for the Israeli attack on Iran was even more absurd than India's recent strike on Pakistan under the pretext of the Pahalgam attack. Waqas observed that the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a blatantly contradictory and biased approach towards the Muslim world in its pursuit of nuclear capability, while remaining conspicuously silent about Israel's widely acknowledged nuclear arsenal.
He demanded that the UN and OIC urge the IAEA to inspect Israel's nuclear sites and work toward a nuclear-free Middle East, rather than targeting Iran under false pretexts, just as was done with Iraq, despite the IAEA's repeated and clear stance that Tehran is nowhere near acquiring a nuclear weapon.
He added that Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes.