ISLAMABAD: An official told Dawn that the National Security Committee will meet on Friday (today) to discuss counterterrorism preparedness and formulate a plan in light of the rising number of terrorist attacks.
During a meeting that took place on Thursday between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, it was decided to convene the meeting of the NSC, which is the primary forum for making decisions regarding foreign policy and national security.
The two met one day after the corps commanders’ conference at General Headquarters, where the rise in terrorism incidents dominated the discussion.
The military’s statement following the corps commanders’ conference included the crucial statement that the terrorist threat would be eliminated “as per the aspirations of the people of Pakistan.”
This showed that the military, with its preparation to act against psychological oppressor gatherings, required political responsibility for new counter-illegal intimidation activity that might be sent off.
The alliance government, which has so far avoided difficult choices, was, in the interim, finding it hard to focus for any enormous scope dynamic activity in the midst of financial strife and in front of looming decisions one year from now.
However, given the urgency of the situation, it is anticipated that the military’s advice would prevail in the end.
Terrorist groups like the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the militant Islamic State, and the Gul Bahadur Group have been carrying out attacks across the country with almost complete impunity over the past few months, deteriorating the country’s law and order situation.
In addition, insurgents in Balochistan have established a formal connection to the TTP and increased their level of violence.
Not only did the incident at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police’s Counter-Terrorism Department interrogation center in Bannu and the failed suicide bombing attempt in Islamabad set off alarm bells in the corridors of power, but they also caused several nations to be concerned about the safety of their citizens.
Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia have all issued advisories advising their nationals to limit their movement in Pakistan and to avoid unnecessary trips.
According to a source, the increase in Afghan cross-border attacks is the other topic the NSC will discuss.
Pakistan has served as the Afghan Taliban’s link to the outside world for a long time, but they refuse to give in to the Taliban’s traditional position regarding the nearly 2600-kilometer-long border that separates the two countries.
Military clashes with fatalities on both sides have frequently resulted from these distinctions in the status of the border.
At the weekly media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch discussed the incidents at the Afghan border.
We are working with Afghan authorities on security and border management issues. She stated, without specifying which assurances had been extended by Taliban authorities, “Afghanistan has given certain assurances, and we hope the promises made will be honoured.”
In the meantime, the spokesperson provided assurance that Pakistani security agencies were “fully capable of and prepared” to protect their citizens as well as foreign nationals residing here in response to advisories issued by some of the foreign missions.
She insisted that “we attach the highest importance to the safety and security of all foreign diplomatic missions in Islamabad, and have assured them of our full support and cooperation,” adding that “would be strictly dealt with by our law enforcement authorities” those attempting to disrupt the country’s peace.
