LAHORE - Kick-starting full-fledged duties of his office, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday convened a special meeting of the federal cabinet on Friday to discuss the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

The meeting, to be held at the governor house here, would be attended by all federal ministers and the relevant official staff. The situation in Held Kashmir has become very tense and violent after the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and others by the Indian forces. In the brutal acts, Indian troops and security forces have so far killed 35 unarmed Kashmiri people for protesting the barbarism of the Indian forces on Wani. Srinagar and many other cities of the held valley are under curfew while Indian forces are continuing barbarism on Kashmiris. Reports say more than 1,500 have been injured while hundreds others taken into custody and taken to undisclosed locations.

Pakistan strongly condemned killing of Kashmiris and expedited the diplomatic activity to stop India from committing atrocities on innocent Kashmiris.

Pakistan urged the international community to play a role in stopping atrocities on the Kashmiris and holding plebiscite for their right to self-determination as per the UN resolutions.

The cabinet meeting, to be chaired by the premier, will look into the situation in Held Kashmir. The prime minister will take the cabinet into confidence over the steps taken by the government to highlight the Indian atrocities on the Kashmiris at the international level and provide to them moral support.

Meanwhile, talking to UAE Minister for Culture and Knowledge Development Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan who called on him at his Raiwind residence, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed complete satisfaction over the successes achieved in the Zarb-e-Azb operation against terrorists and their facilitators.

Zarb-e-Azb helped the country rid of terrorism, he said and added he was totally satisfied with the outcome of the military-led crackdown on the militants in Fata and other areas of the country.  The prime minister sounded quite optimist about end to the energy crisis by 2018 and elimination of load-shedding completely by that time. With the import of LNG, gas crisis would also be completely abolished next year. Highlighting importance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, the prime minister said he was personally monitoring progress of its pace. He said the project would be a source of jobs to lakhs of people and lead the whole region to a highly prosperous part of the world.

Nawaz Sharif also informed the guests of the work in progress on 13 motorways at a time. This project of Rs 900 billion would provide roads network to all cities of the country. This investment will increase to Rs 1,000 billion by the end of the current year. The PM said efforts were on to set direction of the economy right with the help of infrastructural developments.  The prime minister further said his government was taking along all political parties and stakeholders to restore peace to Karachi through a strict operation against target killers, extortionists, kidnappers and miscreants. He said Zarb-e-Azb, a successful operation, was going on to completely purge the country of terrorism. A number of steps had been taken for a sustainable peace in the country, he added.

UAE Minister Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan greeted the PM on his successful heart surgery and recovery. He also acknowledged economic progress under his command. The economic progress achieved by Pakistan was conspicuous in the world, he said, adding the policies of his government were fast attracting foreign investors. He eulogized Nawaz Sharif’s efforts to give Pakistan its true identity at the international level.  Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also present in the meeting.