NSC condemns terror attacks in Afghanistan

Top level huddle reviews regional security situation

ISLAMABAD:  

The country’s civil and military leadership on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent spate of attacks in Afghanistan and vowed to stand with the neighboring country in this hour of grief.

The statement came from the National Security Committee (NSC) that met to review a host of issues -- including the current regional security situation.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while attendees include Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, ISI Director-General Lt-Gen Naveed Mukhtar, National Security Adviser Lt-Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua and senior civil and military officials.



At the outset, the committee condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and observed that the people of Pakistan shared the pain of their Afghan brethren and stood by them in complete solidarity in this hour of grief.

The committee noted that the prime minister’s recent visit to Afghanistan was a very important step in strengthening the relations between the two brotherly countries.

The Planning Commission deputy chairman briefed the meeting on the water policy approved by the Council of Common Interests on April 24, 2018, along with a water charter, which was signed by the prime minister and the four chief ministers.

The committee observed that this was a very significant achievement and if properly implemented could prove instrumental in averting the water crisis that was seriously threatening Pakistan.



The committee also directed the Water Resources Division to forcefully pursue the violations of the Indus Water Treaty by India with the World Bank since protracted inaction by the Bank was only facilitating Indian designs.

The finance minister briefed the committee on the economic performance of Pakistan over the last five years and the ‘fast growth strategy’ underlying the budget for FY 2018-19.

The committee was of the view that while the sustained five years’ growth was a matter of much satisfaction, potentially destabilising factors needed to be addressed simultaneously.

The committee also reviewed the status of FATF compliance and expressed its overall satisfaction.

The interior secretary gave a presentation to the committee on several initiatives towards a more facilitative visa regime being formulated by the ministry, especially with respect to tourists, students and people traveling to Pakistan for medical care.

The committee appreciated the steps taken so far and directed the Ministry of Interior to finalise and introduce a new policy at the earliest in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.