Nawaz summons security panel meeting today

National, regional security issues likely to be discussed

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif waves as he arrives in Downing Street to meet Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron in London April 30, 2014. PHOTO: REUTERS

ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of his national security committee today (Friday) as he returned to the capital after an absence of nearly two months.

While he returned to the federal capital on Thursday, Nawaz is due to kick-off official engagements in the seat of government on Friday.

The meeting is expected to be attended by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, chiefs of all three arms of the military, DG Inter Services Intelligence, important cabinet members including ministers of finance, interior, defence and information who are part of this committee. Additionally key advisers to the prime minister on foreign affairs and national security are also expected to attend the meeting.

PM Nawaz to arrive in Islamabad today

The committee, the highest forum for civil-military coordination on security issues, is likely to deliberate on important internal and regional security issues on Friday morning, PM office said.

Nawaz had last summoned a meeting of the NSC back in April after a gap of nearly 17 months. Since then, many important developments have taken place in the country.

Most important among these are escalation in tensions in Indian-held Kashmir where around 50 civilians have been killed by Indian security forces to quell protests against killing of young militant leader Burhan Wani. Other issues pertain to ties with neighbouring Afghanistan and the US.

Besides these, the NSC is also expected to review National Action Plan, the lapse of Protection of Pakistan Act, hurdles in extending the tenure of paramilitary forces in Karachi and progress of the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb. The meeting is scheduled to last for three hours.


Some analysts see a political angle in the prime minister’s decision to host a high-level huddle of civil and military officials as the first meeting on his return to the federal capital.

Infection delays PM’s return to capital

Keeping in view the pressure built up by opposition parties against the prime minister on investigations pertaining to the Panama Papers in recent weeks, the government it seems wants to get the civil and military leadership on the same page on all issues first.

The government may also attempt to defuse speculation in sections of the media about its relations with the powerful military establishment.

Earlier Thursday, Nawaz returned to the federal capital on a special flight from Lahore.

“He spent the first day doing important file work for three to four hours before going to his residence,” one of his aides told The Express Tribune.

Pictures tweeted by his daughter Maryam Nawaz showed the premier meeting with some officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2016.
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