Sans PM, parliamentary committee on National Security reviews internal, external security

“During the meeting, the entire discussion revolved around the Afghanistan situation and what kind of policy Pakistan actually requires to maintain peace in the neighbor and what we are thinking about it right now,” said former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while talking to media after attending the meeting.

PPP Chairman Bialwal Bhutto Zardai raised the point that Prime Minister Imran Khan should had participated in the meeting as the meeting discussed the matter of national security.

More than one sessions including question and answer were held in different time intervals.

Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar were also present.

Federal ministers Shaikh Rasheed, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and Leader of the House in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem attended the meeting.

Opposition leaders, who are in attendance include the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Senator Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, JUI-F Parliamentary leader Maulana Asad Mahmood, ANP leader Ameer Haider Azam Khan Hoti, and MQM-P's Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

Moreover, BNP-M leader Akhtar Mengal, BAP's Khalid Hussain Magsi, Ghous Bakhsh Mehr, Senators Sherry Rehman, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Faisal Sabzwari, Kamil Ali Agha, Mushtaq Ahmed, and others are also in attendance.

During the first session, DG ISI Lt Gen Faiz Hameed gave a briefing on the current situation in Kashmir and Afghanistan, besides the internal and external security situation, and the challenges due to the evolving nature of developments in the region.

According to an official statement issued after the briefing, the session was informed that Pakistan played a highly positive and responsible role in the Afghan peace process.

"Pakistan's efforts paved the way for dialogue between Afghan factions and warring groups," the meeting was told, while it was also noted that due to Islamabad's efforts, meaningful talks have begun between the US and the Taliban.

"Sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan will lead to stability in South Asia," the meeting was informed.

The participants were further told that Pakistan would welcome a truly representative government of Afghans and that it would continue its responsible role for peace in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan's territory is not being used in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan [...] and we hope that Afghanistan's land is not used against Pakistan," the DG ISI informed the session.

The works on border fencing at the Pak-Afghan border is 90% complete, while an effective system of customs and border control is also being set up, the meeting was told.

"The political and parliamentary leadership expressed satisfaction over the briefing," the statement said.

The parliamentarians expressed satisfaction over the briefing provided by the country's security forces regarding Kashmir and Afghanistan.

The meeting lasted eight hours.