ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday emphasised the need to make the intelligence mechanism more effective and directed the security forces to pay terrorists back in their own coin.

He expressed these views while chairing a high-level meeting on the national security situation here at the Prime Minister’s House.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major Gen Amir Riaz, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem, DG MI Maj. Gen. Sarfaraz Sattar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and DG Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen Zahirul Islam attended the meeting.

The meeting was convened in the wake of recent terror incidents in Bannu, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Mastung and Karachi.

DG ISI Gen Zahirul Islam gave a comprehensive briefing on the overall security situation. A preliminary report on terrorist incidents in the country was presented during the meeting which also focused on making the workings of intelligence agencies more effective to curb terrorism.

Sources said evidence in the report suggested that foreign elements had a hand in the recent terrorist attacks.

The meeting decided to launch surgical strikes against the hideouts of militants and their training camps. It was also decided to boost security on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan including aerial surveillance of the border area.

Sources said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid to reach Quetta to meet the Shia protestors.

Sources said both the civilian and military leadership agreed that under a joint strategy, surgical strikes based on credible intelligence should be launched.

It was also decided to keep the doors of dialogue open for those willing to talk to the federal government within the ambit of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif called on Prime

Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here on Thursday to discuss issues related to national security and terrorism.

This one-to-one meeting was considered crucial, especially in the backdrop of an increase in incidents of terrorism, including attacks on the armed forces.

The premier and the army chief agreed to continue the operation against militants. Nawaz also informed the army chief about the amended Pakistan Protection Ordinance. The army chief said the ordinance will help the law enforcement agencies to carry out their work with ease.

Meanwhile, in a message on social networking website Twitter, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said a war had been declared on Pakistan by its enemies but the armed forces and the nation will together defeat them.

“Our enemies have declared a war on us; we will ensure their defeat and the nation will prevail,” tweeted Nawaz.

