Pak's state media blacks out Abbasi's presser on NSC meeting

Pakistan's state-owned media, Pakistan Television (PTV) on Monday censored Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's press conference on the National Security Council (NSC).

According to reports, the press conference was not aired by the Pakistani mainstream private media, while the same was aired on state-owned PTV after 'necessary omissions'.

Abbasi chaired a presser and told the media about the NSC conference and his recent meeting with his predecessor Nawaz Sharif who recently admitted Pakistan's role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In a new twist, Sharif reportedly told Abbasi that he did not make comments on Pakistan's role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and said he was "misquoted".

"The statements attributed to Sharif are factually incorrect and are being presented in a wrong light by the Indian media. He told me that he has not made such comments and his words have been misrepresented and taken out of context," Abbasi was quoted by Daily Times Pakistan.

Following a backlash in international and local media, Pakistan Army Spokesperson Major Asif Ghafoor had announced that the NSC meeting had been called to clarify Pakistan's stance on Sharif's statement, Geo News reported.

Top military leaders, the acting foreign minister, chiefs of the navy and air force and other top civil officials of the government attended the meeting at the Abbasi's house.

Sharif in an interview given to the Dawn newspaper had said on Friday, "Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can't we complete the trial?"

It is being seen as an admission of Pakistan's involvement in the terrorist attacks in 2008.