National Security Conference begins in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The National Security Conference with Prime Minster, Nawaz Sharif in chair began on Saturday morning here, Geo News reported.

The country’s civilian and military leadership meeting for a briefing on ‘national security’ started as scheduled being attended by almost all the invitees except Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan, Awami Muslim League (AML), chief Sheikh Rashid, Khyber Pukhtunkhaw (KP) Chief Minister, Pervaiz Khattak and Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif.

From the military side, the meeting was being attended by Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif, ISI Director General Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, Director General Military Operations Maj Gen Amir Riaz and other senior officers.

The briefing was convened by the government for updating the political leadership about the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants in North Waziristan and other challenges to the national security, sources said.

The briefing, which comes days ahead of the Azadi March planned by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, would provide an opportunity to the civilian and military leadership to exchange views on the political crisis in the making.

Prime Minister Sharif has already been consulting major political parties on dealing with the PTI’s agitation plan.

Meanwhile, a PTI source claimed that its leadership had declined the government invitation to the briefing.