ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on National Security (CCNS) at the Prime Minister House on Thursday during it was decided that the peace talks process with the Taliban would continue on a slow place based on a wait and see policy.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan was facing serious security challenges which need to be tackled and overcome.
Subsequently, the interior minister briefed the committee on the dialogue process.
The meeting also reiterated the Government’s resolve to improve the internal security situation which according to the committee was critical to economic and social development.
The meeting took place a day after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan announced the decision to not extend its ceasefire.
Moreover, the Committee discussed a number of issues related to internal and external security with long term implications for the country and resolved that all policy options will be explored and all available resources will be utilized to ensure peace and security.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Gen Rashad Mahmood, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief Tahir Rafique Butt, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila, Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam and Director-General Intelligence Bureau Aftab Sultan were present at the meeting.
Federal Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan briefed the participants on internal security situation.
Aspects of the internal security discussed during the meeting included talks with TTP, situation in Balochistan and the situation on western border.
The committee agreed that national security was of paramount importance for consolidating the economic gains that the government had achieved through sound macroeconomic policies and hard work of the economic team.
The trust shown by the international community, especially the international financial institutions (IFIs), in the Government’s efforts to kick start the economy required an enabling security environment to achieve sustainable economic growth in the coming years.
"The National Security Committee is an apex forum where every state institution gets an opportunity to provide inputs so that all national security related decisions are taken through collective thinking", Sharif remarked while addressing the meeting.
The Committee was briefed on the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China, especially Pakistan – China economic corridor and $ 35 billion worth of early harvest projects in energy, road infrastructure and railways.
Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar briefed the Committee on improving economic indicators and Pakistan’s re-entry into the international bond market through successful launch of $ 2 billion Euro Bond.
The Committee reaffirmed the Government’s resolve to improve relations with the neighboring countries, making Pakistan an anchor of peace and stability in the region.
The Pakistan-Afghanistan relations were discussed in light of the recently held Presidential elections in Afghanistan.
The Committee congratulated the Afghan people on successful elections and resolved to strengthen democratic institutions in Afghanistan.
The Pakistan – India relations with special reference to the forthcoming Indian elections were also discussed.
The Committee endorsed the vision to put Pakistan on the crossroads of opportunity rather than conflict to spur growth for prosperity of the people.
The news about the previously undisclosed high-level meeting came on Wednesday and coincided with the Taliban announcement of not extending the 40-day ‘ceasefire’.
Formed last August, the CCNS is the highest civil-military coordination forum on matters of national security and defence.
The top security body is headed by the prime minister and has foreign, defence, interior and finance ministers; Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and the three services chiefs as its members.
Apart from the TTP’s decision on ending its version of ‘ceasefire’, recent civil-military tensions formed the background of the discussions at the second meeting of CCNS – the first this year.
While the agenda of the meeting is not known publicly, a source familiar with preparations earlier told Dawn that the agenda was quite expansive, but discussions on internal security and elections in Afghanistan would dominate the proceedings.
The meeting, which would be discussing the TTP move as well, is also expected to take stock of the Karachi Operation that is now into seventh month.