MM News

While expressing gratitude to a “very friendly nation” for providing assistance to Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday that political stability was crucial for economic stability as he chaired the meeting of the National Apex Committee.

The high-level meeting was being attended by the top civil and military leadership. The civil and military leadership received a briefing on the terrorist attacks in Peshawar and Karachi.

The meeting came after Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum visited Kabul to discuss the rise in militant activities, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) attacks.

“A few days ago, an ally of Pakistan told us, we are sending you [this financial support] straight away. These things can never be forgotten. We were all under the impression that they were waiting for the IMF deal before they would play their part.” Speaking at an apex committee meeting in Islamabad, PM stated, “There are many such sincere efforts of theirs in the past for Pakistan.”

The prime minister added that the IMF deal would be finalized in a week to 10 days.

Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant organization, has stepped up its operations since the talks with the group fell down in November, mostly targeting the KP police and regions bordering Afghanistan. Balochistan’s insurgents have also increased their violent activity and formally connected with the TTP, an illegal organization.

Last month, a powerful suicide blast in a mosque in Peshawar Police Lines killed 84 people and injured many others. Last Friday, the Karachi Police Office was attacked by TTP militants, leaving two policemen, one Rangers official and a sanitation worker martyred and 17 others, mostly law enforcers, wounded.