Islamabad (Web Desk): A highly significant in-camera session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) is underway to provide an in-depth briefing to lawmakers about the current security challenges, with a particular focus on recent developments, following an uptick in terrorist activities in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The civil and military leadership of Pakistan is participating in the session, convened by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, accompanied by senior military officials including Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, will brief the committee members on the prevailing situation.
The timing of this meeting follows a particularly alarming terrorist attack carried out by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
On March 11, the militants targeted a train in Balochistan’s Bolan district, destroying tracks and taking more than 440 passengers hostage, leading to a lengthy standoff with security forces.
While the military eventually cleared the train and rescued the hostages, the attack resulted in the tragic loss of 26 innocent lives, including 18 security personnel, as well as four security officers who embraced martyrdom in the ensuing military operation.
In total, the security forces killed 33 attackers during the operation, highlighting the extreme threat posed by such groups in the region.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has been embroiled in political disputes with the government, has announced that it will not attend the session.
The party’s leadership, in particular, has demanded that the government facilitate a meeting between its representatives and imprisoned PTI founder, Imran Khan, whose detention in Adiala Jail has become a source of significant political contention.
PTI's Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja confirmed that the decision was made during the party's political committee meeting, though KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, representing the province, is participating in in the session.
The multi-party alliance, Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), led by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, also announced its boycott of the meeting.
Other political leaders, including Sardar Akhtar Mengal from the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), also announced their decision to boycott the session.
Meanwhile, PTI’s ally the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), initially expressed interest in attending but later decided against it, citing specific demands that were not met during internal party discussions.