NSC Meeting Convened to Discuss Regional Security

A significant session of the National Security Committee (NSC), led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, commenced this Monday to deliberate on the shifting dynamics of regional security, according to sources.

This high-profile meeting is being attended by the top commanders of Pakistan’s military, prominent federal ministers, and high-ranking officials involved in national defense and diplomatic efforts, sources have indicated.

Sources familiar with the matter reveal that the central focus of the meeting is to examine the ramifications of the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Iran, with particular attention to its potential impact on the broader region.

The discussions are anticipated to encompass the recent strikes by the United States employing missiles and bunker-buster weaponry against Iranian nuclear sites, along with the possible repercussions of the escalating dispute for regional peace and stability.

This session occurs in the context of the United States’ involvement in the Middle Eastern situation through direct military actions targeting Iran.

Under the previous administration, bunker-buster bombs and missiles were reportedly deployed to strike three Iranian nuclear installations located in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Pakistan has responded by expressing condemnation of the strikes on Iran, asserting that such actions against Iranian nuclear facilities constitute a breach of international law and that diplomatic engagement remains the sole viable path to resolving the crisis.

“The unprecedented increase in tension and acts of violence, stemming from the ongoing aggression towards Iran, is a matter of serious concern. Further escalation carries the risk of causing significant harm to the region and beyond,” stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The NSC assembly occurred shortly after Pakistan, in conjunction with China and Russia, introduced a draft resolution advocating for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) gathering.

The resolution stresses “the necessity for all parties to avoid further escalation; calls for the immediate protection of civilians and essential infrastructure; and supports a diplomatic approach to the Iranian nuclear matter that is agreeable to all parties involved”.

Addressing the UNSC session, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar, urged the key UN body to “encourage urgent dialogue and diplomatic initiatives” and implored all parties to fully respect international law in order to reach a peaceful and enduring resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue.