A key in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) was held on Tuesday in Parliament to review the country’s security situation. The meeting lasted over six hours.
Senior political and military leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and other officials, attended the session.
Provincial leaders were also present, including Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who represented his province in the absence of PTI members.
Governors and Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) from all four provinces also attended. However, BNP chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal was invited but did not participate.
The opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had initially announced its participation in the committee’s deliberations. However, late on Monday night, it reversed its decision and made its attendance conditional on a meeting with the party’s founder.
According to an official statement, the committee strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks and expressed solidarity with the affected families.
The committee praised the bravery and professionalism of security forces and law enforcement agencies in counterterrorism operations. It reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism in all its forms.
Emphasising a unified political and strategic approach, the committee called for national consensus on counterterrorism efforts. It urged immediate implementation of the National Action Plan and the Azm-e-Istahkam strategy to dismantle terrorist networks, disrupt logistical support, and sever links between terrorism and organised crime.
Concerns were raised over the increasing misuse of social media platforms by terrorist groups for propaganda, recruitment, and coordinating attacks. The committee stressed the need for measures to curb digital networks supporting terrorism.
Reaffirming full support for the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, the committee acknowledged their sacrifices and commitment to national defence. “The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the military, police, Frontier Constabulary, and intelligence agencies in the fight against terrorism,” the statement said.
The committee also warned that no individual, group, or institution collaborating with hostile forces would be allowed to undermine Pakistan’s peace and stability.
Regretting the absence of some opposition members, the committee reiterated that consultations on national security would continue.
The high-level security meeting convened in parliament comes after last week’s attack by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants.
The militants targeted train tracks and held over 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security forces in a remote mountain pass in Bolan district.
The military successfully cleared the train and rescued the hostages, reporting the killing of 33 attackers during the operation.
Before the rescue mission, the terrorists had killed 26 passengers. Additionally, four security personnel lost their lives during the operation to free the hostages.
