Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee on Thursday, while calling the communication of a foreign country’s senior official a “blatant interference” in the internal affairs of Pakistan, decided to issue a strong demarche to the country in question.

The 37th meeting of the NSC, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, decided that the demarche would be issued both in Islamabad and in the country’s capital through proper channel in line with the diplomatic norms. The meeting was attended by federal ministers of defence, energy, information & broadcasting, interior, finance, human rights, planning and development & special initiatives, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, services chiefs, the national security adviser, and senior officers.

National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf briefed the committee on the “formal communication” of the foreign country’s senior official to Pakistan’s ambassador in the said country in a formal meeting, which was duly conveyed by the ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The committee expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official undiplomatic,” said a PM Office press release.

It concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances. The participants also endorsed the Federal Cabinet’s decision in its special meeting held on Wednesday under the prime minister’s chairmanship to take the Parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of its National Security Committee.