Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chairs high-level meeting on security

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today chaired a high-level meeting here to discuss the security situation in the country.

Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, DG ISI Lt General Rizwan Akhtar and other senior officials attended the meeting.

According to an official statement, the meeting reviewed progress of Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants and discussed matters relating to the return of the people displaced by the military offensive.

"The meeting also reviewed progress on National Action Plan and discussed measures for its more effective implementation," it said.

The National Action Plan was announced to eliminate militancy after the Taliban stormed an army school in Peshawar in December and killed 150 people, mostly children.

Military Operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched by the army in June last year and so far more than 1,500 militants have been killed by the forces.

The operation in North Waziristan tribal region displaced more than a million people who were living in makeshift camps and now are being sent back in phases.

Officials said the prime minister was briefed by the army about the operation and plans to settle the displaced people. Matters related to financial issues linked with the operation were also discussed.