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Updated 29 Sep, 2017 09:09pm

NSC briefed on PM Abbasi, Asif's foreign trips

Members of the National Security Committee on Friday were briefed on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif's recent foreign trips during a high-level meeting comprising top civil-military officials in Islamabad.

The committee was told that PM Abbasi and Asif had "engaged the leadership of several important countries to share Pakistan’s perspective on regional and global security challenges," a PM House statement said.

"Salient aspects and outcomes of the prime minister's visit to New York for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) were also shared with the committee," the handout read.

The NSC was informed that Pakistan's "continued engagement with leading world powers on matters of regional security had generated a supportive sentiment for Pakistan amongst world leaders during interactions on the sidelines of the UNGA", according to PM House.

Additionally, PM Abbasi met with UN chief Antonio Guterres and handed over a dossier documenting the "systematic human rights violations by India in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and stressed the need for appointing a special envoy to Jammu and Kashmir."

The committee was briefed on Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif's visit to key regional players, including China, Iran and Turkey, where he apprised their leadership of Pakistan's perspective on regional and international issues, the handout said.

The NSC also reviewed current developments in the relationship with Afghanistan, as well as common avenues for continued cooperation, especially border management and repatriation of refugees, the handout said.

Participants of the meeting reiterated their commitment for peace in Afghanistan "through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process."

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Hayat, all three services' chiefs and senior civil and military officials attended the meeting today.

The NSC expressed concern over repeated Indian ceasefire violations along the Line of Control which resulted in the loss of innocent lives in shelling and firing by Indian Border Security Forces.

The committee also condemned human rights violations in India-held Kashmir, and the excessive use of force by Indian security forces against unarmed civilians.

Participants of the meeting resolved to keep Pakistan’s defence impregnable against all forms of external aggression, the PM House statement said.

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