Pakistan

NSC session with top brass underway

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

ISLAMABAD: An in-camera session of the National Assembly’s National Security Committee (NSC) is underway at the lower house, in which the military leadership is expected to brief the lawmakers on the country’s prevailing national security situation.

The session is being chaired by NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf.

According to sources, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum will give a detailed overview of the current situation to the members.

The development comes after a national security huddle — headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — decided last week to launch fresh military operation to flush out rising militancy in the country.

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf convenes an in-camera meeting on Friday, the 14th April 2023 at 2:30 pm in the Chamber of National Assembly, Parliament House, Islamabad.

Agenda of the meeting will be "Briefing on current issues of the National Security". pic.twitter.com/x00SQJTF4R
— National Assembly of 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) April 13, 2023

Notices have been issued by the National Assembly Secretariat and all federal ministers, advisers and MNAs have been invited to attend the meeting.

Secretaries of interior, foreign affairs, finance, defence and information and broadcasting have also been invited to attend the meeting while the four provincial chief ministers, chief secretaries and IGPs were issued special invitations by the NA Secretariat.

‘Healthy interaction’

On Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz announced that the National Assembly would be given an in-camera briefing on national security matters on Friday (today).

Responding to a point raised by MNA Ali Wazir from Waziristan, PM Shehbaz informed the house that during the in-camera briefing, parliamentarians would also be able to put their respective questions on the relevant subject.

He assured the MNA that all of his reservations would be listened to and responded positively to satisfy his concerns.

“This would be a healthy interaction. There would be no discussion to spoil the situation, rather it would be an attempt to rectify the matters,” the prime minister remarked.

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said the military leadership would attend the National Assembly session and respond to the queries of the members. He further added that the military leadership was cognisant of the challenge posed by terrorism.

He voiced serious concerns over the surge in terrorism and demanded that terrorists’ facilitators settled in the civilian areas must be held accountable.

Asif, who recently visited Kabul along with DG ISI to convey Pakistan’s concerns on the TTP activities, said terrorism increased after people from Afghanistan settled in Pakistan.

“Terrorists have settled in the residential areas. Action should be taken against the people who have helped them settle,” he said while referring to the previous Imran Khan-led government.

“These people have political support, as they are also present at Zaman Park. They have the support of Khan,” he said.

The defence minister added that the first Afghan war took place during the reign of General Zia, while the second war happened during the rule of General (retd) Musharraf after 9/11.

He seconded MNA Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir and said they were correctly saying that the people in those areas were suffering for the sins they did not commit.

Speaking on a point of order, Ali Wazir appealed to the government to stop the military operation in the tribal areas. He said another operation in the tribal areas had been discussed in the NSC huddle.

“We have come to know that even the GHQ has not been taken into confidence and the generals who had retired should be dealt with first,’” he said.

He said the people who spread mistrust had now come to the settled areas of the country.

“When the Taliban came to Afghanistan, sweets were distributed in the country, as Pakistan had problems and differences with the past Afghan rulers,” he recalled.

Latest News

FO admits that a boat capsized in Greece, killing four Pakistanis.

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

The deaths of four Pakistanis in a boat capsizing event close to the southern Greek island of Goudos have been verified by the Foreign Office.

The incident happened on Sunday and at least five illegal immigrants drowned as a result. According to Greek Coast Guards, 39 people were rescued after the wooden boat overturned, but 40 more are still unaccounted for.

According to a Foreign Office spokeswoman, the four Pakistani nationals were among those killed in the catastrophe. In order to help the remaining Pakistanis and repatriate the corpses of the deceased, the Pakistani Embassy in Athens has been in close communication with Greek authorities, she said.

Additional information was given by Aamir Aftab Qureshi, Pakistan’s ambassador to Greece, during a press conference. According to him, there were 80 Pakistanis on board the doomed boat, and efforts are still being made to find the people who are still missing.

He added that the overcrowding on the boat was a factor in the capsizing. There are worries over the safety of the missing people because a sizable portion of them are children. He stated that five boats carrying Pakistani nationals were traveling illegally from Libya.

The public was also informed by Ambassador Qureshi that the government will pay for the return flight of the accident victims’ bodies.

Latest News

Every office will have a biometric system installed by Lesco.

Published

2 weeks ago

Farwa

system in each office.

Details show that the LESCO had ordered the installation of biometric systems in all offices, including the divisions and the circle.

The installation of the biometric system at the headquarters resulted in an increase in attendance, as the LESCO CEO had stated.

The CEO of LESCO claimed that the biometric system has resolved the issues related to the fictitious overtime and off-days.

Latest News

Around 450 Pakistanis have successfully crossed into Lebanon from Syria, according to a briefing from the Foreign Office.

Published

2 weeks ago

Farwa

Approximately 450 Pakistanis, including 250 Zaireen, have successfully crossed into Lebanon from Syria, according to the spokesperson for the Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.

During her weekly briefing at the foreign office in Islamabad, she stated that Pakistan is pleased with the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on the Gaza Strip, which calls for an immediate ceasefire.

In addition, she expressed her satisfaction with the elimination of limits placed on UNRWA’s ability to carry out relief activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

It was stated by her that Pakistan is demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Palestine, an end to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for those who are in urgent need, full support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and its mandated humanitarian activities, and medical assistance for those who are in urgent need.

Moreover, she stated that Pakistan emphasises the need for the international community to hold Israel accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity that it has committed in occupied lands.

The Israeli aggression against Syria, the illegitimate acquisition of Syrian territory, and the massive devastation of Syrian infrastructure as well as civilian and military sites are all topics that Pakistan is extremely worried about, according to the spokesperson for Pakistan.

According to her, this attack on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a serious violation of international law to the highest degree. By expressing our support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are also expressing our opposition to the Israeli government’s attempt to acquire territory through coercion.

The resolution 497 of the United Nations Security Council, which declares the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel to be null and illegal and to have no international legal impact, was reaffirmed by her organisation.