- Information Minister says opposition criticising bill ‘without even reading it,’ calling passage of 27th Amendment ‘historic’
- Calls Wana operation a ‘historic mission’ studied worldwide, saying Army rescued over 500 students in remarkable feat
- Declares Pakistan triumphed over an enemy ‘four times its size’
- Speaker renews call for dialogue with opposition, stressing ‘solutions come only through talks, not confrontation’
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition for what he called their “hollow and uninformed” resistance to the 27th Constitutional Amendment, saying their criticism carried no weight since “they haven’t even read the bill.”
Speaking to the media outside Parliament House, Tarar said that political noise and rhetoric without understanding the content of the legislation “serve no national purpose.” He maintained that the opposition had rejected an opportunity for a clause-by-clause debate that could have allowed constructive input.
Expressing confidence in the government’s position, Tarar said he was certain that the 27th Constitutional Amendment—set to be tabled in Parliament later today—would be approved “without any difficulty.”
Turning to national security, the minister lauded the Pakistan Army’s successful operation in Wana, calling it a “historic and globally acclaimed mission.” He said the military had rescued over 500 students in a remarkable feat that would be “studied in military academies around the world.”
“The operation sent a strong message to the enemy,” Tarar asserted. “Pakistan has triumphed against an adversary four times its size. The enemy was forced to retreat and abandon its positions, proving that this proxy war poses no real challenge for Pakistan.”
When asked whether former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would visit Parliament House today, Tarar quipped, “We’ll arrange your meeting with him as well.”
Speaker renews dialogue offer to opposition during NA session
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq once again extended an olive branch to the opposition, urging them to come to the negotiating table during Tuesday’s session.
Taking the floor, Sadiq said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had repeatedly invited the opposition for talks, and Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar had also made multiple offers. “As the Speaker of the National Assembly, I am ready to facilitate dialogue between the government and the opposition,” he reaffirmed.
He emphasized that political solutions would emerge only through engagement, not confrontation. “Even if no results come on the first day, continuing the process of dialogue will eventually yield outcomes. It is my duty to bring both sides together,” Sadiq said.
Responding to opposition criticism, he remarked, “I have defeated your leader twice, and not a single petition was filed against me in this election. No one challenged the results from my constituency—so how can you say we are not the true representatives of the people?”
Urging calm and cooperation, the Speaker concluded, “Constructive outcomes will come from dialogue, not division. You speak of negotiations with India, Afghanistan, and Iran—then surely we can start by learning to sit and talk right here at home.”
