Federal government has sought support of Pakistan Army to meet any challenging situation in the wake of lawyers long march. President Zardari has asked Army to remain on high alert to support the civilian law enforcement agencies deployed to stop the lawyers long march and sit-in, in Islamabad, well-placed sources told Business Recorder on Saturday.
The government claims that intelligence agencies have informed it about suicide attacks and serial bombings on long march and this has forced the government to call Army for support. Following the government requisition a high-level meeting was held at General Headquarters with Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani in chair.
The meeting was attended by Corps Commanders and Principal Staff Officers of Pakistan Army besides the Director Generals of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI), defence sources said. They said the meeting reviewed the current political situation in the country in the wake of long march.
They said that the participants of the meeting reviewed the requisition of the federal government to call Army to support LEAs. The government requisition was given approval by military top brass and army was put on high alert and standby position.
When contacted, Director General, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Athar Abbas confirmed the government intention to call Army in case of any untoward situation in the country. He told Business Recorder that the government has sent a formal requisition to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani asking him to send Army to support civilian LEAs in any challenging situation.
He dispelled the impression that the army has been deployed in different parts of Punjab and Islamabad. There is no reality in reports of deployment of the army. He said the army was on standby after the government requisition. Pakistan Army is still in cantonments and there is no reality in deployment, he added. "If police, paramilitary troops and other law enforcement agencies failed to cope with any situation due to long march, then the army will come out," Athar said.
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