ISLAMABAD – The National Security Committee (NSC) reaffirmed Pakistan’sposition of continuing to play its role for regional stability and peace.

The 18th meeting of the NSC was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid KhaqanAbbasi on Friday.

The NSC reviewed the security situation in the region and stronglycondemned the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Kabul and observed thatthe government and people of Pakistan shared the shock, grief, and sorrowof their Afghan brethren and stood by their side in complete solidarity.

The committee emphasized that the people of Pakistan understand the painand anguish of the people of Afghanistan very well since they arethemselves the greatest victims of terrorism.

The NSC expressed the resolve to forge ahead despite difficulties withpositive engagement with Afghanistan, including the already planned visitof the Pakistani delegation to Kabul on 3rd February 2018, for discussionson Pakistan’s proposed “Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity.”

The committee expressed satisfaction on the progress made with regard toborder controls with Afghanistan and noted that the Afghan governmentshould support the fencing of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as being inthe interest of both countries.

The NSC reviewed the actions taken by the government of Pakistan andprovincial governments to fulfill the country’s internationalresponsibilities under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) framework.The committee expressed satisfaction over the objectives achieved so farand directed the concerned ministries to complete the few outstandingactions at the earliest.

Foreign Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Interior, Prof AhsanIqbal, General Zubair Mehmood Hayat, Chairman JCSC, General Qamar JavedBajwa, Chief of the Army Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of theNaval Staff, Air Chief Marshall Sohail Aman, Chief of the Air Staff, Lt.General Nasser Khan Janjua (Retd), National Security Advisor and seniorcivil and military officials attended the meeting.