ISLAMABAD: A high echelon huddle of civil and military leadership Wednesday evolved strategy to deal with the challenges regarding implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) in totality.
Some important steps will be taken soon to overcome complexities coming in the way of its implementation. The meeting took place at the Prime Minister Office (PMO) with Prime Minister Imran Khan in chair while Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lt Gen Asim Munir, federal ministers Asad Umar, Shafqat Mehmood, Minister of State for Interior Sheharyar Khan Afridi, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Secretary Interior Major (R) Azam Sulaiman Khan, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor and senior officers concerned were in attendance.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was conspicuous with his absence. The PMO in its 64 words press release without identifying subjects came under discussion stated that security matters were discussed during the meeting.
The huddle took place a day before the scheduled meeting of the parliamentary group leaders on the NAP called by Foreign Minister Qureshi, which was called off on Wednesday as the opposition leaders declined to attend it. They have asked to bring the matter in the Parliament for discussion instead calling group leaders meeting.
It is understood that the parliamentary group leaders meeting had to take up the question of extension in the tenure of military courts to deal with terrorists. The tenure is expiring in a couple of days. The huddle has added significance in the wake of a diplomatic row between Pakistan and Afghanistan which cropped up due to some remarks made by Prime Minister Imran Khan on the situation in Afghanistan.
The remarks were misinterpreted by media where Imran Khan referred to establishment of an interim government in Afghanistan to make the electoral process in that war-torn country credible. Since he referred to Pakistan’s system, it was misconstrued, the sources said. The huddle also took up some other subjects related to the security of the country, the sources added.