Pakistan army chief meets PM Sharif; discusses security issues

Officials said that the army chief also briefed Sharif about his recent visit to Beijing where he held meetings with top Chinese political and military leadership

Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif today discussed with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the progress of the action plan formed to rid the country of terrorism in the aftermath of Peshawar school massacre.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in his meeting with Prime Minister discussed "matters relating to the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) for combating terrorism and extremism," said an official statement.

But officials privy to the meeting said the COAS also briefed the Prime Minister about his recent visit to Beijing where he held meetings with top Chinese political and military leadership.

Following the brutal Taliban assault on an army-run school that killed nearly 150 people, mostly children, Pakistan evolved the NAP to eliminate militancy from the country.

The army chief and the prime minister also discussed the joint parade of Pakistan's armed forces on March 23, and the steps required for its success.

Reports, unconfirmed by the Pakistan government, have said that China's President Xi Jinping might be the chief guest at the parade to be held after a gap of seven years.

The joint military parade by the three branches of the armed forces had been the hallmark of the Pakistan Day celebrations; it features military hardware and cultural activities.

The last military parade was organised on March 23, 2008 during the regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

During today's meeting, Gen Sharif also briefed the Prime Minister about operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan and Khyber-1 in tribal regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, against militants.

The military campaign in the two regions has been intensified following the Peshawar attack.

Pakistan has ended a six-year moratorium on executions in terror-related cases and pledged to crack down on all militant groups.