Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif to convene NSC meeting to discuss growing militancy

Top civil and military leaders of Pakistan are set to meet in a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday to discuss the strategy to counter the rising threat of militancy in the country.

The NSC meeting would also be attended by all service chiefs, key cabinet ministers, and other high officials.

The decision to convene the meeting was taken after Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir called on Prime Minister Sharif on Thursday to brief him about professional as well as national security matters, according to government officials.

Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum will brief the meeting on the recent terror wave in Pakistan and the Pakistan-Afghan border situation, while an integrated strategy against terrorism would be formulated, The News International newspaper reported.

Official sources said that the meeting would discuss the modalities to counter the latest threat by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that has increased the attacks on security forces since November when they ended a months-long cease-fire with the Pakistan government.

It would also look into the cross-border attacks from Afghanistan in the wake of the failure of the interim Taliban government to eliminate the use of its soil for terrorist activities.

The meeting comes days after the 254th Corps Commanders' Conference in which the top military brass vowed to defeat terrorism.

A comprehensive review of professional and organisational matters of the army was undertaken by the commanders in the meeting, the Army said in a statement after the meeting.

It was resolved to fight against terrorists without any distinction and eliminate this menace as per the aspirations of people of Pakistan, the army statement said.

The NSC is the highest body to finalise key security and strategic decisions.