NSC holds detailed discussion on talks with TTP & situation along the Pak-Afghan border
ISLAMABAD, June 22 (SABAH): An in-camera meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), which met in Islamabad on Wednesday with Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, held a detailed discussion on talks with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and situation along the Pak-Afghan border.
National, parliamentary and political leadership, members of parliament and military leadership attended the meeting.
The meeting was briefed about the overall security situation in the country including the internal and external security threats faced by it and steps taken by relevant security institutions to deal with them.
The meeting was also briefed on administrative matters of Pakistan-Afghanistan border maintaining that Pakistan has always played a very responsible and positive role for peace and stability in Afghanistan and will continue to do so.
The meeting expressed the confidence that the Afghan soil will not be allowed to be used against Pakistan.
The meeting maintained that Pakistan’s efforts and sacrifices in war against terrorism have been acknowledged by the world.
It maintained that due to matchless sacrifices of the people and security forces of Pakistan and state functionaries, peace and normalcy has been restored and there is no organized network of terrorists in the country.
The meeting was briefed about the details of talks with the TTP, all the backgrounds in which these talks started and the different periods during it.
The meeting was informed that talks are underway with the TTP, facilitated by the Afghan authorities, in which a government-led committee comprising civil and military representatives is negotiating within the framework of the Constitution of Pakistan. However, any final decision will be made within the contours of the Constitution of Pakistan with the approval of the Parliament.
The political leadership expressed satisfaction over the strategy and progress made in this regard so far.
Later, briefing media in Islamabad, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, said it was decided that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will take the parliamentarians into confidence in an in-camera session of the parliament to be held soon.
Regarding former prime minister Imran Khan’s diatribes about reforms in the National Accountability law, Rana Sanaullah Khan said NAB law has been amended as per spirit of the Criminal Procedure Code, reducing the remand period from 90 to 14 days. He said every citizen, including front men of Imran Khan including Farhat Shahzadi and Ahsan Jameel Gujjar, will benefit from these amendments. Rana Sanaullah said that Farhat Shahzadi and Ahsan Jameel Gujjar were used to visit prime minister as family members and there is no record of arrival and going back. He said that Usman Buzdar will benefit from NAB amendments and he will have not remained in physical remand for 90 days.
Rana Sanullah said that what Imran Khan has proved against us during three years and nine months rule instead of presence of the NAB law and 90 days remand. Rana Sanaullah said that when Lahore High Court granted bail to Shehbaz Sharif in NAB cases then Imran Khan handed over this case to FIA. He said the allied parties have expressed no-confidence on Imran Khan. He said that PML-N, PPP and JUI-F had 156 votes in National Assembly and PTI had also 155 or 156 votes in National Assembly, adding that the same votes through which Imran Khan had been elected prime minister, were cast in favor of Shehbaz Sharif’s election as prime minister and there is not a difference of even a single vote. He said that Imran Khan is trying to establish failed narrative on NAB law changes He said Imran Khan is trying to mislead the nation regarding reforms in NAB law to build a new narrative. He said that in the NAB amendment law the right of granting bail has been given to the court, adding that the right of granting bail has not been given to the government.
Rana Sanaullah Khan said that all PTI leaders are appearing in different courts for securing bail what revolution they will bring. Rana Sanaullah said that NAB is constitutionally independent institution, adding that the decision regarding the appointment of new chairman NAB will be made in next one or two days. He said that we are hopeful that the new chairman NAB will not only fulfill the requirements of justice but also remove the shortcoming present inside NAB. He said that Imran Khan filed fake cases against us and these cases should be taken back and prosecution of these cases should be withdrawn. Rana Sanaullah said that we are not ready to take any victimizing action. He said that the concerned institutions NAB and FIA are seeing the cases of the PTI leaders and when they will reach any conclusion then these matters will cone in front of media.