Monday, a meeting of the National Security Committee is underway. Prime Minister Imran Khan is chairing the meeting where he will approve the country’s first national security policy.
According to reports, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yousaf, and other senior government and military officials are attending the meeting. Fawad Chaudhry confirmed the news on Twitter last night.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan has convened a meeting of the National Security Council tomorrow, in which the first national security policy in the history of the country will be presented for approval,” Fawad Chaudhry wrote.
وزیراعظم عمران خان نے کل نیشنل سیکیورٹی کونسل کا اجلاس طلب کرلیا ہے، اجلاس میں ملک کی تاریخ کی پہلی نیشنل سیکیورٹی پالیسی منظوری کیلئے پیش کی جائیگی۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 26, 2021
The Committee will discuss important national security issues, including the latest situation in Afghanistan. As per sources, the committee will also discuss Pakistan’s management of its borders.
Important to note, the meeting comes less than a week after Pakistan held the OIC meeting.
Read more: OIC Summit: Pakistan leaves no stone unturned to help Afghanistan
Earlier this month, NSA Moeed Yusuf presented the draft of Pakistan’s first national security policy. The NSA, while putting the economic and military security at the core of policy, told the lawmakers that the draft outlines the challenges and opportunities facing Pakistan in coming years and would provide policy guidelines for mitigation and actualising opportunities through a “whole-of-government approach”.
Opposition’s boycott
Interestingly, the Opposition boycotted the meeting where NSA Moeed Yusuf presented the draft of the security policy. To clarify, the Opposition announced the boycott due to the government “bull-dozing” bills in Parliament.
According to the Opposition, the government did not raise important issues related to those concerning the common man. Moreover, taking aim at Moeed Yusuf, the Opposition stated that it believed Yusuf is deprived of the relevant authority that his position commands, adding that he is a mere “showpiece”.
In response, Fawad Chaudhry termed the Opposition’s stance to boycott the meeting as “regrettable.”
“It is the first time in seven decades that a government is presenting its policy on national security in Parliament,” he said, adding that it was a matter of national security, not a political affair.
Read more: Fawad Ch slams opposition for boycotting meeting on national security