Peace talks with TTP top priority, National Security Committee decides
Pakistan will cooperate with Afghanistan on reconciliation process with Afghan Taliban, committee decides.
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif (L) and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (R). PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD:
Peace talks were declared as the top priority with regards to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) at the first ever meeting of the National Security Committee in Islamabad on Tuesday, Express News reported.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The discussions were focused on three key issues: formulation of National Security Strategy to safeguard the national interests; strategy on internal security and relations with Afghanistan.
Issues
The committee agreed that the economic development and prosperity of the people is dependent on ensuring security and approved a number of measures concerning enhancement of security on western border, development of FATA and other bordering areas to bring them at par with the national standards.
It directed the concerned ministries to take measures to facilitate regional peace and stability.
The leadership deliberated upon the government’s strategy to engage various groups of Taliban in order to curb extremism and militancy.
Consensus was also developed to have effective security along the international borders to stop illegal transportation.
It was also decided that Pakistan would cooperate with Afghanistan and help in the ongoing reconciliation process with Afghan Taliban.
Attendees
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Asif Sandeela, Chief of Air Force Tahir Rafiq, defence secretary, foreign secretary, interior secretary and director general (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were present at the meeting.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervez Rashid, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Rashid Mahmood also attended.
DG Military Operations and DG ISI briefed the committee on issues related to national security. The interior secretary also gave a briefing regarding the peace and security situation in the country.
The issue of drone attacks and relations with the United States were also discussed. A draft of the national security policy was also deliberated upon at the meeting.
Nawaz had earlier met the Army Chief one on one to discuss the security situation in the country.
Peace talks were declared as the top priority with regards to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) at the first ever meeting of the National Security Committee in Islamabad on Tuesday, Express News reported.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The discussions were focused on three key issues: formulation of National Security Strategy to safeguard the national interests; strategy on internal security and relations with Afghanistan.
Issues
The committee agreed that the economic development and prosperity of the people is dependent on ensuring security and approved a number of measures concerning enhancement of security on western border, development of FATA and other bordering areas to bring them at par with the national standards.
It directed the concerned ministries to take measures to facilitate regional peace and stability.
The leadership deliberated upon the government’s strategy to engage various groups of Taliban in order to curb extremism and militancy.
Consensus was also developed to have effective security along the international borders to stop illegal transportation.
It was also decided that Pakistan would cooperate with Afghanistan and help in the ongoing reconciliation process with Afghan Taliban.
Attendees
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Asif Sandeela, Chief of Air Force Tahir Rafiq, defence secretary, foreign secretary, interior secretary and director general (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were present at the meeting.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervez Rashid, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Rashid Mahmood also attended.
DG Military Operations and DG ISI briefed the committee on issues related to national security. The interior secretary also gave a briefing regarding the peace and security situation in the country.
The issue of drone attacks and relations with the United States were also discussed. A draft of the national security policy was also deliberated upon at the meeting.
Nawaz had earlier met the Army Chief one on one to discuss the security situation in the country.