Finalising its strategy regarding Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government has decided to initiate a national dialogue to root out terrorism and extremism in the country.

PM Shehbaz, the sources added, has taken cabinet members into confidence over the new counter-terrorism operation’s scope and the reason behind launching the new anti-terror drive.

Last month, the federal cabinet approved the decisions taken by the National Action Plan’s Central Apex Committee including the launch of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.

The sources say that the security forces handed over the cleared areas from the terrorists to the provincial governments.

“Due to the failure of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, terrorists returned to the cleared areas,” the added.

The government’s decision drew reservations from several political parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), the Awami National Party (ANP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and others.

In response, the Centre has maintained that “no large-scale military operation is being launched” in the country which might result in mass evictions and has reassured that the matter will be brought before the parliament.

PM Shehbaz has also decided to convene an all-parties conference (APC) to evolve consensus on the operation with PTI founder Imran Khan supporting the initiative, saying his party would attend the government-hosted huddle.