LAHORE, Jan 29: PML-Q President Shujaat Husain has said the National Security Council (NSC) is a constitutional mechanism to ensure continuity of the democratic system in Pakistan.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the former prime minister said the NSC provided democratic continuity since military leadership and democratically elected ministers, prime minister and president were its members. He insisted that there was a dire need for such an institution.

He said such a composition would allow healthy debate on critical security and policy issues thus ensuring the longevity of the democratically elected government. These checks and balances were important for the country’s security, he added.

Pakistan was proud of its armed forces and their contribution to securing the frontiers as well as all assets, especially the nuclear ones. He stated that the National Command and Control Authority was yet another forum where the military and political leadership’s balance would ensure the safety and security of country’s nuclear assets.

Shujaat also rejected the reports in the United States media emphasising US army’s unilateral or joint operations in any part of Pakistan. He said Pakistan alone could fight the threat of extremism and needed no foreign forces on its soil.

He reminded the media of his previous initiatives to pass a similar resolution in the National Assembly (NA) when he was chairman of the NA’s defence committee.