Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif chairs high-level security meeting

Islamabad, Dec 19: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday chaired a high-level meeting at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi to discuss national security in the aftermath of the Peshawar massacre that left 148 people dead.

The prime minister met with Chief of the Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif, and other senior military officials, Radio Pakistan reported.

Nawaz Sharif was accompanied by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

The meeting mainly focused on the future course of action following Tuesday's attack by Pakistani Taliban terrorists on the army-run school in Peshawar that killed 148 people, including 132 children.

The other issue discussed was the on-going "Zarb-e-Azb" military operation in North Waziristan.

Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar gave a detailed briefing on the overall security situation in the country.

The meeting was after General Sharif late Thursday night approved the execution of six terrorists who were sentenced to death by military courts.

The army chief's approval of their executions came after Sharif Wednesday lifted the moratorium on capital punishment in the country.

The six terrorists include convicts in cases relating to the attacks on General Headquarters, Jhanda Chichi suicide attack that killed 14 people, the 2003 attack on former president Pervez Musharraf and an attack on a military camp near Chenab river.

They had been awarded death sentences by the field general court martial under the Army Act.

IANS