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Asif attends ISI briefing for PM,
ministers
ISLAMABAD, May 16: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza
Gilani and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali
Zardari visited the headquarters of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
on Friday to attend a briefing on the security situation, sources
told Dawn.
The presence of Mr Zardari, who is neither an elected lawmaker nor a
government official, in the important briefing surprised observers
here because such briefings are held exclusively for people under
oath.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for
Defence Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar also attended the briefing given by
ISI chief Lt-Gen Nadim Taj.
The sources said the prime minister and his team were briefed on the
current situation in tribal areas and along the borders.
Such meetings are a routine matter and heads of intelligence
agencies brief new government functionaries on the security
situation to help them formulate future policies. The nature of such
briefings is so sensitive that the president or the prime minister
is required to go to the headquarters for first hand information,
and non-government functionaries and low-grade intelligence
officials are not invited.
No official handout was issued about the briefing and ministers
belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were tight-lipped
about Mr Zardari’s presence in the briefing.
Meanwhile, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq
Majeed and Director General Strategic Planning Division Lt-Gen (retd)
Khalid Ahmed Kidwai visited the Prime Minister House and briefed Mr
Gilani on the country’s strategic assets and various projects
undertaken by the division to make the country’s defence
impregnable.
According to an official handout, the prime minister said the
government was committed to maintaining a minimum credible
deterrence through conventional and strategic capabilities as
Pakistan had a major role to play for peace and stability in the
region.
Mr Gilani said that impregnable defence could only be achieved
through economic sovereignty, smooth political process, good
neighbourliness, friendly international environment and good
governance. He lauded the role of the armed forces both in
maintaining external security and making valuable services during
national calamities. He said Pakistan was a peace-loving country and
did not harbour aggressive design against any country. “We, however,
believe that peace is achieved through strength and not weakness,”
he said, adding the government would continue to provide all
necessary support to further enhance the capabilities of the armed
forces.
The JCSC chairman apprised Mr Gilani of the performance and
professional activities of the army, air force and navy. He also
updated the prime minister on the ongoing upgradation programmes in
the defence sector.
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