Senate Defence Committee briefed on Pakistan-Afghanistan border situation

ISLAMABAD, Jan 05 (SABAH): Senate Standing Committee on Defence presided by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, received a comprehensive briefing on the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border situation and deteriorating internal security situation in the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with specific reference to the recent attack, capture and hostage situation at Bannu Cantonment.

Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Lt. Gen. (retd) Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, HI (M) assured the committee members that Security Forces are adept and well equipped to counter any security threat. He apprized that peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan and engagement with the Afghan side on security and border management is a continuous process.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed was of the view that there is a need to gain strategic clarity to deal with the menace of terrorism for which National Action Plan should be revisited considering challenging geo-strategic environment. The Chair further emphasized for a coherent counter terrorism policy with NACTA in the lead role, effective intelligence sharing mechanism among different security agencies and enhanced border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Committee expressed the resolve that people of Pakistan stand by the valiant armed forces in such testing times and appreciated Pakistan Army’s successes in the fight against terrorism and continued efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region. The Defence Committee also appreciated the role and sacrifices of the police, the CTD and other law enforcement agencies in combating terrorism. The Committee offered Fateh for Shuhada martyred in various terror related incidents in the recent past.

The meeting was attended by Committee members, Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar, Senator Umar Farooq, Senator Palwasha Muhammadzai Khan, Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Senator Hidayatullah, Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Dr. Shahzad Waseem, Secretary Defence Lt. Gen. (retd) Hamood Uz Zaman Khan HI (M) and Secretary Committee, Major (retd) Syed Hasnain Haider.