ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC) meeting, scheduled for today (Friday), has been postponed and will be held on May 16 amid rising political turmoil in the country in the wake of the arrest of the former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned the important meeting of the NCS soon after the Supreme Court’s order in which the court annulled the PTI chairman’s arrest, declaring it illegal.

Sources said that the meeting of the NCS will be held on May 16, to be attended by senior civil and military leadership, and take stock of the current internal and external security situation of the country following the arrest of Imran Khan.

They said that the meeting is expected to take important decisions with regard to the incident of violence and vandalism, particularly with regard to those involved in the attacks on sensitive State buildings as well as public and private properties during the violent protests across the country.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman who is also president of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) held consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House and discussed future strategy following the Supreme Court’s order with regard to Imran Khan’s release.

Sources said that the prime minister also telephoned leaders of the ruling coalition and held consultations with them. They said that a meeting of the ruling coalition is also expected soon to chalk out a joint strategy with regard to the emerging situation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023