ISLAMABAD, March 18(Alliance News): The civil-military leadership is attending a high-stakes in-camera session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) today, focusing on the escalating terrorist threats in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Convened by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the session is being held in the National Assembly to provide lawmakers with a comprehensive briefing by military leadership on the country’s security situation.
PM Shehbaz, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, DG ISI Lieutenant General Asim Malik, and chief ministers of all four provinces are in attendance.
However, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, and PTI members have boycotted the meeting.
The session comes days after the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) attack in Bolan, where militants blew up train tracks and held 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff.
The military rescued hostages, neutralized 33 attackers, but 26 passengers and four security personnel were martyred.
The meeting also takes place in the context of the Global Terrorism Index 2025 report, which ranks Pakistan as the second-most affected country by terrorism.
Terror-related deaths surged by 45%, with 1,081 deaths in 2024 compared to 748 in 2023. Attacks more than doubled from 517 to 1,099, with Balochistan and KP accounting for 96% of incidents.
Addressing the meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif called terrorism a scourge and honored the sacrifices of the martyrs, vowing to eradicate militancy.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq criticized the opposition for skipping the meeting, calling their absence contrary to parliamentary responsibilities.
The political divide over national security was further highlighted as PTI, TTAP, BNP-M, MWM, and SIC leaders refused to attend, citing concerns over electoral fraud, political exclusion, and restricted access to PTI founder Imran Khan.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai of TTAP called for a joint parliamentary session for a more inclusive security dialogue.
