ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was chairing a high-level meeting on Friday on the country’s political and security situation.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Lt Gen Retd Abdul Qadir Baloch and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal were present at the meeting.

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The meeting was likely to discuss the country's overall political situation in the light of the protests and rallies being held by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) as well as Thursday's by-election which saw the defeat of Javed Hashmi who although stood as an independent candidate for NA-149 but was being backed by the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N).

The meeting was also expected to discuss the country's internal security situation as well as the recent skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC) and the working boundary.

Today's meeting of Nawaz Sharif with his top lieutenants comes as his government has suffered a symbolic blow with Hashmi's defeat against PTI-backed candidate Amir Dogar. The PTI is scheduled to hold another public meeting later today in the city of Sargodha where the party is expected to indulge in a grand show of strength over its virtual victory in Multan.