Pakistan PM chairs meeting of National Security Committee in view of rising terror attacks

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 30 (ANI): In view of the rising terror attacks in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the principal decision-making forum on foreign policy and national security, reported The Dawn.

Senior civilian and military leaders took part in the meeting on Friday.

The decision to convene the NSC meeting was taken on Thursday by PM Sharif and Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.

The NSC will focus on the rise in cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

"Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country has worsened, with terrorist groups like the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic State group, and the Gul Bahadur Group executing attacks with near impunity across the country," according to The Dawn report.

The report also said that: "The incident at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police's Counter-Terrorism Department interrogation centre in Bannu and the botched suicide bombing attempt in Islamabad not only set off alarm bells in the power corridors but also left several countries worried about the security of their nationals."

Advisories have been issued by the US, UK, Australia and Saudi Arabia asking their nationals to restrict movements in Pakistan and avoid non-essential trips.

Recently, Sharif asserted that the country would not bow down to any terrorist group. Sharif said that terrorism will be dealt with "iron fists" amid attempts to spread chaos in Pakistan, The News International reported.

"Attempts to spread chaos in Pakistan through terrorism will be dealt with iron fists," The News International quoted Sharif as saying.

Shehbaz Sharif made the statement in condemnation of the Bannu hostage crisis and other recent terrorist activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He called terrorism a sensitive issue of national security and stressed that a joint strategy is needed to tackle the issue, as per The News International report. Sharif said that the government will tackle the external support given to terrorists in Pakistan.

Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the country's armed forces fighting terrorism and vowed that the nation will end terrorism by supporting the forces. Sharif called operations, 'Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad' important measures to end terrorism in Pakistan, according to The News International report.

Furthermore, Shehbaz Sharif said that the responsibility for peace lies with the provinces. However, he stated that the federal government will continue to make efforts along with the provinces to fight terrorism, according to the news report. Sharif called it important to increase the capacity and the efficiency of the provincial government in order to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan. (ANI)