The government plans to convene the first meeting of National Security Council within a fortnight, after naming leader of the opposition in National Assembly.
Official sources told Business Recorder that apparently the only cause of delay in summoning the Council meeting was that opposition leader has not been named so far, who is part of the 13-member body.
However, so far no final decision has been made whether Amin Fahim or Fazlur Rehman would be opposition leader, they said.
ARD and other opposition groups have rejected the Council. Therefore, even if their candidate is named as opposition leader, he is unlikely to attend the NSC meeting but would happily discharge his duty in the National Assembly.
On the other hand, MMA is also undecided on its candidate's participation. If National Assembly Speaker goes by rules of business in the assembly, he has no choice but to announce Amin Fahim as opposition leader.
Though it is not binding on the Council not to hold meetings if a member or members remain absent.
The prerequisite is that in the absence of its chairman, the President, it would remain dormant, as no other member has been assigned to take his place if he is not around.
Since the passage of National Security Council Act 2004, a host of important issues have come up.