ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif evaluated the security situation during a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday, focusing on measures taken by the authorities to ensure peace across the country.

The talks come days after Naqvi attended a high-level security meeting in the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan and has seen a surge in cross-border militant attacks.

The region’s Kurram district has been gripped by sectarian clashes since last month, leaving well over 100 people dead, according to local reports.

During the meeting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Naqvi and other stakeholders decided to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies with the federal government’s full cooperation to combat mounting security challenges.

Pakistan has also faced unrest in its southwestern province of Balochistan, where separatist attacks intensified throughout the year.

“Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi provided a detailed briefing to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on the overall security situation in the country,” the statement from the PM Office said. “The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the measures taken to ensure law and order in the country.”

The meeting also included discussions on the country’s political situation, the statement added.

Security remained a major concern for the government this year, which witnessed renewed attacks on Chinese workers, including five fatalities when their convoy was targeted by an explosive-laden vehicle near Besham city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Later in October, two Chinese engineers lost their lives in a blast near Karachi airport.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, vowed to hunt down militants and their facilitators, following a deadly attack on a military outpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that left 16 soldiers dead.

Johannesburg: Rising star Saim Ayub hit his second century of the series — and his third in five innings — as Pakistan completed a series cleansweep over South Africa in the third one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

Left-handed opening batsman Ayub made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine.

Heinrich Klaasen thrashed 81 off 43 balls for South Africa — but the hosts were beaten by 36 runs chasing an adjusted target of 308. The match was reduced to 47 overs a side because of rain.

Ayub, 22, hit 113 not out in the second one-day game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last month and 109 in the series opener against South Africa in Paarl last week.

In between his one-day appearances he made an unbeaten 98 in the second Twenty20 international against South Africa in Centurion.

Ayub was named player of the match and player of the series.

“It’s important because we won but it is for all the team, not just me,” he said. “The senior players helped me a lot.”

In contrast to Ayub’s form, his opening partner Abdullah Shafique was out for his third successive duck after Pakistan were sent in to bat.

But Ayub was seldom troubled as he played shots all around the wicket in partnerships of 114 with Babar Azam (52) and 93 with captain Mohammad Rizwan (53).

Ayub fell to debutant Corbin Bosch, caught behind attempting an audacious flick to leg, after hitting 13 fours and two sixes.

Bosch, the son of the late Test and one-day international player Tertius Bosch, received a call-up after injuries hit South Africa’s fast bowling resources.

For the third successive match, Klaasen was the only South African to make a half-century. He kept South Africa ahead of the required run rate until he was sixth man out, caught on the square leg boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi with the total on 194 in the 29th over.

Ayub followed up his century by taking one for 34 in 10 overs with his mixture of off-spin and carrom balls, claiming the key wicket of David Miller and producing the most economical figures by any bowler in the match.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 308-9 in 47 overs (Saim Ayub 101, Mohammad Rizwan 53, Babar Azam 52, Salman Agha 48; K. Rabada 3-56) v South Africa 271 in 42 overs (H. Klaasen 81, C. Bosch 40 not out)

Result: Pakistan won by 36 runs (DLS method)

Series: Pakistan won the three-match series 3-0

Toss: South Africa