Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for collective efforts to strengthen country's economy as national security is directly linked with the economic security.

Addressing 26th Security Workshop of the National Defense University in Islamabad today, he said the national and the economic securities go hand in hand.

The Prime Minister said economic security will automatically strengthen the national security and vice versa, if a country is economically strong, its exports growing, industrial base expanding, productive jobs are being provided, and bureaucracy is efficient and agile.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed the confidence that Pakistan is moving in the right direction. He said the Stock Exchange crossed the hundred thousand points, which is a big mark in Pakistan's history.

The Prime Minister further said he will soon announce "Home Grown Plan" to transform Pakistan's economic landscape.

Regarding the security challenges, he said the brave soldiers of Pakistan Army, Law Enforcement Agencies, civilians, doctors, nurses, skilled workers, children, mothers and people from all walks of life rendered sacrifices to defeat terrorism.  He added that the nation paid a huge price including a loss of 89,000 lives and economic damages worth 130 billion dollars in the war against terrorism.

The Prime Minister said the monster of terrorism has come back and it is showing its ugly face again in parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said anti Pakistan elements are deriving this nefarious scheme through active support of Pakistan's enemies. He further said that innocent people were killed in Parachinar.

Besides, Shehbaz Sharif said there was "Lashkar Kashi" on Islamabad and thousands of people were marching with guns in their hands and lots of other kind of ammunition to create uncertainty and chaos in the Federal Capital.

He said the marchers wanted to destroy this hard-earned stability in terms of bringing down inflation rate, increasing exports and remittances and skyrocketing stock exchange.

Answering a question, the Prime Minister said it will be very difficult to fill the gap in the external debt without enhancing exports. He said enhancing exports will be the main focus of the "Home Grown Plan" to be announced in a few days.

Responding to a question regarding internal debt, Shehbaz Sharif said power sector has become a big monster in this respect and its circular debt has surged to 2.5 trillion rupees, while the circular debt in the gas sector is also touching the same level. He said the government is fully focused to addressing these issues, including leakages, theft as well as system and management gaps.

The Prime Minister further stressed the need to expand tax base and to check tax evasion of trillions of rupees.

Replying to another question, Shehbaz Sharif said the Apex Committee has decided to launch an operation against the foreign funded secessionist movements in Balochistan.

The Prime Minister said the operation against such entities is on-going under the umbrella of Azm-e-Istehkam to ensure progress and prosperity of the people of Balochistan.