Mumbai blasts

The civil and military leadership has struck a common ground regarding the country’s security situation, especially in the wake of the Mumbai blasts, urging India to provide solid evidence before levelling any baseless allegations against Pakistan.

This was observed during long, detailed meetings chaired by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here on Saturday. Defence and security chiefs, senior members of the federal cabinet and PML-N leaders attended the meetings and discussed the overall security situation of the country’s eastern and western borders.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in fact held two separate meetings one in the day and the other late Saturday night.

The first meeting that was attended by Defence Minister Ch Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha lasted more than two hours at the end of which a one-line press statement was issued. It said that Defence Minister Ch Ahmad Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, and DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the PM House. They discussed various issues of national importance, the statement said.

It is believed that besides discussing the situation at the eastern border, the meeting also discussed the situation on the western border particularly in the tribal areas.

Sources said security condition in the tribal areas as well as some troubled settled areas of the NWFP also came under discussion. Sources further said that Gen Kayani briefed the prime minister about the recent corps commanders meeting.

Sources said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi briefed the prime minister about his interactions with his counterparts in other countries and also with diplomats regarding the current situation. It is believed that ISI chief briefed the prime minister about the national security issues.

Sources said the meeting also decided to confront the negative propaganda by the Indian media by explaining Pakistan’s position on the issue to the world capitals.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan attended the second meeting that had in-depth discussions regarding national security.

Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Ch Ahmed Mukhtar again attended the meeting.

Sources said the prime minister had earlier talked to Nawaz Sharif by telephone and invited him to a meeting but he sent Shahbaz Sharif, in his capacity as PML-N president.

In the meeting strategic issues came under discussion and the top senior military officials briefed the senior leadership of the PML-N on the latest security situation at the eastern and western borders. Sources further said Pakistan and Indian relations following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai also came under discussion.

Though no official word about the meeting was available as all the participants of the meeting were tight lipped, it was evident that the meeting turned out to be a special briefing on the prevailing national security situation in which strategic issues were discussed especially in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in Mumbai with focus on Pak-India relations. Sources said the foreign minister also briefed the meeting about the diplomatic efforts that were being taken with special reference to the recent call of the Indian foreign minister to President Asif Ali Zardari which was termed by media as a hoax call.

Online adds: The meeting decided not to send any representative of the country’s top security agencies including the ISI to India “unless India provides solid proof of involvement of any Pakistani non-state actor in the Mumbai attacks.”

It also observed that Pakistan was ready to cooperate with India in Mumbai attacks unconditionally but India still had not shown any positive response to Pakistan’s offer. It also decided to deal with anti-state elements with an iron hand and to further strengthen the country’s defence. According to reliable sources, the meeting also discussed matters related to any expected reaction.

According to sources, the prime minister lauded the armed forces and institutions of national security for their contribution to the defence of the country saying there should be no cause of concern for the nation.

He declared that the democratic government would defend every inch of the soil of the country and those who dared cast evil eye on Pakistan would face severe response. Gilani further stated that Pakistan did not have any aggressive designs against any country and wanted cordial and friendly relations with all countries including India adding that baseless Indian allegations should stop.