Pak army chief briefs PM Sharif over internal security

Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif today met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here and discussed the security situation in the country ahead of a crucial visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) called on the prime minister at his house and discussed the implementation of the National Action Plan, according to an official statement.
The action plan was adopted to eliminate militancy after the Peshawar school massacre that killed 150 people, mostly children.
Sources, however, said that the COAS informed Sharif about the preparation for the Pakistan National Day parade and the unprecedented security being put in place.

Pakistan is trying to convince the Chinese President to be the chief guest at the parade that will be held on March 23 after a gap of seven years.
China has said that President Xi would visit Pakistan this year but has not announced any date for the said tour.

Yesterday, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong met the COAS in Rawalpindi and discussed the security aspects related to Xi's visit.
Gen Sharif also briefed the prime minister about Operation Zarb-e-Azb launched in the volatile northwest against Taliban militants and the return of temporarily displaced persons.
The Pakistan army has taken a lead by directly taking on the militants. It arrested a key ringleader of the Peshawar school attack, Taj Muhammad alias Rizwan, yesterday during an operation near Peshawar.

The army chief also discussed with the prime minister the strategy to nab the key culprit of the Peshawar attack, Mullah Fazlullah, who is hiding in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Sharif told the COAS about his telephonic conversation with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who called him yesterday to discuss bilateral issues.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the increasing cooperation from Kabul to deal with militants.