Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, who cut short his Davos, Switzerland visit, is chairing a hurriedly called meeting of the country's National Security Committee in Islamabad to discuss the situation arising in the wake of the Pakistan-Iran conflict.
The meeting is being attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir among all the services chiefs, the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, federal ministers, and senior civil, military, and intelligence officials.
Caretaker federal defence, foreign and finance ministers, as well as secretaries of interior, foreign and defence ministries are also present in the meeting. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Ali Tipu is also attendance.
The NSC, headed by the prime minister, will be briefed on the Pakistan-Iran tension by national security institutions.
This will be followed by an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet on the same regional issue.
The cabinet meeting, which has been rescheduled multiple times from 2pm, is now planned for 5:30pm. It has been called in an emergency to discuss the situation arising out of the Pakistan-Iran conflict after Islamabad conducted retaliatory strikes on Tehran after the latter's violation of its airspace to allegedly take out Baloch militants.
The cabinet is also scheduled to review the security situation and will also receive a briefing on border management. The meeting will also deliberate on the reasons behind the flare-up of tensions between the two countries. The cabinet members will be briefed on Iran's attack on Pakistan and the latter's response.
Prime Minister Kakar was in Davos for almost a week to attend the 54th session of the World Economic Forum.
Must Read:
India’s MEA has 'No Comments' on Pakistan’s strikes in Iran
Pakistan conducts military strikes inside Iran in 'Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar'
Pakistan strongly condemns Iran's 'unprovoked violation' of air space, summons envoy
Pakistan suspends diplomatic ties with Iran over 'completely unacceptable' airstrike
Iran's top diplomat admits strike on Pakistan soil, killing two children
Pakistan holds Iranian govt, Revolutionary Guards, intel responsible for Panjgur attack
Pakistan on Thursday morning conducted "a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes" against alleged terrorist hideouts in Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran in which reportedly "a number of terrorists" were killed.
The action comes a day after Iran carried out airstrikes in Balochistan's Panjgur area, allegedly targeting the Jaish al-Adl group. The strikes had killed two children and injured three girls.
Meanwhile, Iran's state media claimed that nine people, including three women and four children, were killed in explosions reported in the country's southeast.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, over the last several years, during engagements with Iran, Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by "Pakistani-origin terrorists", calling themselves "Sarmachars" on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran.
Pakistan has also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists, it adds.
