PM Imran Khan, military top brass given 'comprehensive briefing' on Afghanistan at ISI Secretariat

• PM Imran Khan given "comprehensive briefing"on national security and regional dynamics with a focus on the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.
• PM appreciates diligent efforts of ISI for national security and expresses satisfaction over professional preparedness.
• Key federal ministers and chief ministers of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were in attendance, besides military top brass.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with other political leaders and the military top brass on Tuesday were given a "comprehensive briefing" at the Inter Services Intelligence Secretariat on national security and regional dynamics with a focus on the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister Office, the prime minister "appreciated the diligent efforts of Inter Services Intelligence for national security and expressed his satisfaction over professional preparedness".

Key federal ministers and chief ministers of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were in attendance during the meeting.

Besides this, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar were also present

The dignitaries were accorded a warm welcome by Director General ISI Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid.

The briefing on Afghanistan comes as Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to address the United Nations General Assembly to raise his voice against Indian atrocities in Kashmir and speak about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The prime minister will speak at 1:30am Pakistan Standard Time on September 25. 

In an interview with Newsweek's Senior Foreign Policy Writer Tom O'Connor, published today, PM Imran Khan said that the Taliban can be potential partners in peace for both the United States and Pakistan, as he termed American President Joe Biden's hard line against the group as "unnecessary".

PM chairs meeting at ISI HQ on 'enhanced intelligence cooperation'

In July, the premier had chaired a special meeting of the National Intelligence Coordination Committee at the ISI Secretariat, where a comprehensive discussion on "enhanced intelligence cooperation" was held.

“A comprehensive briefing followed by a discussion on enhanced intelligence cooperation was held,” the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement issued after the meeting.

It added that the prime minister appreciated the ongoing efforts and expressed satisfaction over the performance of the National Intelligence Coordination Committee.

The government had notified the establishment of the National Intelligence Coordination Committee on January 22 this year as a platform for intelligence coordination and for ensuring a unified and wholesome national intelligence assessment.