Daily Times

An in-camera session of the parliament was held Thursday wherein Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed briefed the political leadership on external and internal security issues and regional challenges, with special focus on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Afghanistan.

Chaired by National Assembly Security Committee Chairman and Speaker Asad Qaiser, the briefing was attended by parliamentary leadership, members of the National Assembly as well as senators, said a press release issued here. In the first session, the legislators were told that Pakistan had played a very sincere, positive and responsible role in Afghan peace process. “Pakistan’s concerted efforts not only paved the way for dialogue between the confronting Afghan groups but also facilitated the meaningful negotiations between the United States and Taliban,” it was told. “Pakistan firmly believes that peace and stability in Afghanistan will lead towards lasting peace in South Asia.”

The meeting was informed that Pakistan would welcome a government which would be a real representative of Afghan people at all levels, and would continue playing its responsible role for Afghan peace. The meeting was further informed that Pakistan’s land was not being used against Afghanistan and hoped that Afghanistan would also not allow using its soil against Pakistan.

The legislators were told that around 90 percent of Pak-Afghan border had been fenced while an effective system of customs and border control was also being enforced.

The political and parliamentary leadership expressed satisfaction over the briefing and exhibited their desire for peace, development and prosperity in Afghanistan. They viewed that such meetings not only play an important role in evolving national consensus on important issues but also create harmony on various national issues.

The briefing also featured a question and answer session wherein the members also put forwarded their suggestions. The recommendations would be considered as an important part of the security policy.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain, Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati, Minister for Housing and Works Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Defense Minister Pervez Khattak, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Incentives Asad Umar, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen M Mazari, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan,

Members of the National Assembly Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Asad Mehmood, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Khalid Hussain Magsi, Muhammad Akhtar Mengal, Ghous Bakhsh Khan Mehr, Amir Haider Azam Khan, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti were also present.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, Chief Whip in National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar, Members of the National Assembly Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Hina Rabbani Khar were among the special invitees.

Leader of House in Senate Dr Shehzad Wasim, Leader of Opposition in Senate, Yousuf Raza Gillani also attended the meeting.

Members of the Senate Sherry Rehman, Azam Nazir Tarar, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Syed Faisal Sabzwari, Tahir Bizenjo, Hidayatullah Khan, Shafiq Tareen, Kamil Ali Agha, Mushtaq Ahmed, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Muhammad Qasim and Dilawar Khan also attended the briefing. The meeting was also attended by the chief ministers of the four provinces.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar and other heads of national security agencies also attended the meeting.

Before the meeting started, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry, defending the prime minister’s absence, said it was decided that members of the defense and national security committees would be in attendance. He said political parties were informed that their selected members could attend the meeting, while members of the defence and foreign affairs committee would also be in attendance. Carrying of mobile phones inside the meeting room was prohibited, therefore, the phones of all participants were taken away. The audio and video recording of the meeting was sealed before the Speaker. Due to the meeting of the National Security Committee, the NA and the Senate Secretariat’s employees were sent on leave. Journalists were barred from entering the Parliament House, a spokesperson for the National Assembly said.