PM Shehbaz chairs NSC meeting to discuss country's 'ongoing situation'

PM Shehbaz chairs NSC meeting to discuss country's 'ongoing situation'

Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday chaired the meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the highest forum to discuss issues of national importance, including security.

The meeting was convened by the prime minister on Thursday to discuss the emerging politico-judicial crisis and security situation in the country.

The meeting of the country’s top security body comprising civil and military leadership held at the PM House during which the country’s prevailing situation will be discussed and decisions will be taken regarding the course of action to be taken by the government.

According to sources, the meeting was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), heads of armed forces, federal ministers for defence, finance and information and senior military leadership.

The meeting comes a day after the National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution rejecting the top court’s verdict on the Punjab elections.

The resolution was moved by Balochistan Awami Party lawmaker Khalid Magsi and approved by a majority of the lawmakers.

“This house rejects the minority decision of the three-member bench and binds the prime minister and the cabinet not to implement the unconstitutional and unlawful decision,” Magsi said as he read out the resolution.

It said that the house considers the conduct of general elections simultaneously across the country as the solution to all the problems. It noted this is in accordance with the procedure laid down in the law and Constitution for political and economic stability.

On April 4, the Supreme Court quashed the ECP’s decision to delay the elections in the province from April 30 to October 8, ruling the move was “unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, [and] of no legal effect”.