NSC meeting under PM: Indian provocation, brutalities in IHK condemned

ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC) meeting that was held under Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday condemned the Indian provocation across the Line of Control (LoC) and Indian forces’ brutalities and human rights violations in the Indian Held Kashmir.

The meeting reiterated that regional peace and progress were directly linked to resolution of all outstanding issues between Pakistan and India, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The committee expressed grave concern over frequent incidents of unprovoked firing by Indian forces across the Line of Control (LoC) and strongly condemned the grave violations of human rights inflicted upon the innocent people of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). 

The meeting deliberated upon the issues of concern about the national security. The meeting continued for about two hours as the prime minister was also briefed about the national security challenges. 

According to the PMO, the meeting reviewed both the internal and external security situation and the foreign policy imperatives in regional and global context. Foreign Secretary Ms Tehmina Janjua, who visited the Afghan capital a day earlier on Tuesday and had a significant meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and foreign minister, briefed the participants about the outcome of her visit and her talks with the leaders in Kabul. 

While reaffirming its continued commitment to pursue peace and stability in Afghanistan through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process, the NSC resolved to work at all levels with the people and the government of Afghanistan for the removal of all irritants, including repeated cross border firing and support network in Afghanistan for terrorist incidents in Pakistan. The members supported the restoration of quadrilateral dialogue for resolution of the Afghan imbroglio, the sources said. 

The participants reiterated that regional peace and progress were directly linked to resolution of all outstanding issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The committee reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the peaceful struggle of Kashmiri people and condemned the brutalities of Indian forces being perpetrated by them on the innocent Kashmiris who are asking for their right to self-determination by the United Nations in its resolutions adopted by its Security Council. The NSC unanimously expressed satisfaction over the gains of anti-terrorism operations, particularly Raddul Fasaad and Khyber-4 and resolved to continue with these operations till the elimination ofthe last trace of terrorist elements.

The NSC lauded the zeal, fervour and unity demonstrated by the entire nation during the ongoing 70th Independence Day celebrations. The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Interior Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, National Security Adviser (NSA) Lieutenant General (R) Nasser Khan Janjua, ISI Director General Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) Major General Syed Asim Munir Ahmad Shah and senior civil and military officials.