ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC) of the federal cabinet on Saturday decided to take steps for blocking the funding of terrorist outfits.
The meeting also condemned Indian aggressive posture on the Line of Control (LoC) as it continued violating ceasefire agreement.
The NSC has given go-ahead signal to the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with KP province along with huge incentives and watering down authority of the supervisory councils in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Kashmir.
The government has expressed resolve to undertake legislation on both these counts before expiry of its mandate in eleven days.
The NSC had its urgent meeting Saturday evening soon after the return of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from Turkey where he attended the emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on situation in Palestine.
Contrary to the speculations no reference came up for discussion even remotely regarding Nawaz Sharif about Mumbai attacks in the second huddle of the committee in less than a week.
The meeting continued for about four hours. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired the huddle. It was 23rd meeting of the NSC held at Prime Minister’s House. The committee expressed satisfaction with the principled stand taken by Pakistan on Kashmir and Palestine and its articulation at various world forums. The committee deliberated upon the question of the merger of the Fata with the KP province. The prime minister apprised the committee that his consultations on the issue with the leaders of other political parties in Parliament had reflected a broad consensus on the merger of Fata with KP. Weighing all the pros and cons in detail, the committee endorsed that Fata would be merged with KP along with the introduction of the administrative and judicial institutional structures and laws of KP. The committee directed ministries concerned to work out the constitutional, legal and administrative modalities for the merger in consultation with all parties in Parliament. The committee also endorsed the provision of additional well-monitored development funds for the Fata region during the next ten years, with the stipulation that these funds would not be re-appropriated to any other area of KP.
Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission and the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & GB briefed the Committee on the Azad Jammu and Kashmir and GB reform proposals. The NSC reviewed these proposals from the perspective of their conformity with the aspirations of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and GB. After detailed deliberations, a consensus was reached on the devolution of greater administrative authority and financial powers to the Azad Kashmir and GB governments, retention of the Azad Kashmir and GB councils as advisory bodies; and the grant of a five-year tax holiday to GB so as to create adequate incentives for the development of the region and bring it at par with the other areas of the country.
Interior Secretary Arshad Mirza presented details of the measures it had formulated to liberalise the visa regime, in particular for tourists and businesspersons. Reviewing these proposals, the NSC instructed the Interior Ministry to further refine its proposals and submit them for consideration in its next meeting.
Foreign Secretary Ms Tehmina Janjua briefed the committee on the regional and global security situation. The committee resolved that Pakistan would continue to play its role for peace and security in the region and beyond.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Defence & Foreign Affairs Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Finance, Revenue & Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Director General ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar and senior civil and military officials.
