ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif summoned a session of the National Security Council on Friday to discuss matters pertaining to external security, the deteriorating situation in the Indian-held Kashmir and national security, sources said on Thursday.

The premier would preside over the session. The meeting would include Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Rashad Mehmood and chiefs of the three armed forces.

Several high profile ministers such as defense minister, interior minister, federal ministers of the treasury, adviser national security, foreign adviser and others would attend the meeting.

According to sources, matters related to the National Action Plan, operation Zarb-i-Azb, and Karachi operation would also come under discussion.

External matters such as the worsening security situation in the occupied Kashmir since the death of a young rebel leader, and the border skirmishes with Afghanistan in the last month would also be discussed. The meeting would focus on formulating a national policy vis-à-vis these matters, sources added.

Violence escalated in the occupied Kashmir since Burhan Wani’s death on July 8th, as Indian atrocities left 50 people dead in the valley.

Prime Minister Nawaz Prime had highly condemned the brutality by the Indian forces and had said on Wednesday that Kashmir was not India’s internal issue.

“We are standing with the people of Kashmir at this hour of need,” he had said.

Last month, tension had flared up between Kabul and Islamabad when Afghan forces had targeted Pakistani installations to prevent its border officials from installing a gate at the Torkham border crossing.

An army major Ali Jawad Changezi had been killed in the firing at Torkham, while several others had been injured in the skirmishes.