- Nawaz, Shahbaz and Nisar discuss ‘Azadi March’ strategy, agree on giving free hand to protesters in federal capital
- PM stresses joint operations against terror outfits across Pakistan
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday stressed that joint operations against terrorist outfits in various parts of the country should be enhanced to ensure that terrorism is effectively rooted out from North Waziristan as well as the rest of the country.
The premier said this during a meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House. The meeting comes days after ties between Nisar and the PML-N leadership normalised following a meeting between the interior minister and the prime minister himself held at Raiwind.
A government source told Pakistan Today that the meeting discussed issues pertaining to national and internal security as well as issues relating to the situation in North Waziristan and progress of the ongoing military operation.
“During the meeting, the interior minister briefed the prime minister about the implementation of the internal security policy, urging him to play his role in allocation of adequate funds for establishment of a joint directorate of intelligence. The minister also asked the premier to direct the Finance Ministry for release of funds for NACTA so that these institutions could play their role in thwarting any terrorism bid,” the source said, adding that Sharif had assured Nisar that he would facilitate the provision of funds in this regard.
The source said that the meeting also discussed the strategy to deal with the ‘Azadi March’ announced by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and other political parties. It was proposed during the meeting that the protesters would be discouraged from participating in the march but they would be allowed to hold the rallies amidst tight security if they did manage to reach the federal capital.
The meeting also noted that the civil and military leadership appeared to be on the same page on matters of national security.
Shahbaz briefed the premier regarding the measures taken by the Punjab government for the effective facilitation of the internally displaced persons. The meeting also discussed the prime minister’s visit to Karachi and the decisions taken during his time in the country’s financial capital.
When contacted, Muhauddin Wani, the press secretary to the prime minister, said that security issues and operation Zarb-e-Azb were discussed during the meeting. However, he denied having information about the discussion on funds for the internal security policy implementation, NACTA and the government’s strategy regarding Imran Khan’s ‘Azadi March’.