ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday presided over a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) which reviewed the current developments in Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan and the repatriation of Afghan refugees.
In the meeting held in Islamabad, Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Asif, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, all three Services’ Chiefs, and senior civil and military officials participated, according to a press release issued by the PM’s Office.
During the meeting, the Committee reviewed the current developments in the relationship with Afghanistan as well as common avenues for continued cooperation, especially border management and repatriation of Afghan refugees.
The Committee reiterated its commitment for peace in Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
The National Security Committee expressed its unwavering resolve to keep Pakistan’s defence impregnable against all forms of external aggression.
In addition, the Committee expressed a deep concern over repeated violations of Line of Control (LoC) by India, resulting in loss of innocent lives owing to shelling and firing across the line of control. The Committee also condemned violation of human rights in the Indian occupied Kashmir and use of excessive force against unarmed civilians.
The National Security Committee was informed that the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, in his meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres on the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, had handed over a dossier documenting the systematic human rights violations by India in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir and stressed the need for appointing a Special Envoy on Jammu & Kashmir.
The Committee was briefed that the prime minister and the foreign minister had engaged the leadership of several important countries to share Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global security challenges.
Salient aspects and outcomes of the prime minister’s visit to New York for the UN General Assembly were also shared with the Committee.
The Committee was also informed that the foreign minister had visited key regional countries including China, Iran and Turkey to apprise their leadership of Pakistan’s perspective on crucial regional and international issues.
The Committee was further informed that Pakistan’s continued engagement with leading world powers on matters of regional security had generated a supportive sentiment for Pakistan amongst world leaders during interactions on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
