The Defence Committee of the Cabinet, presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, met here on Saturday and reviewed the overall security situation.
It discussed a range of security issues including drone attacks in Pakistan territory by the coalition forces, law and order situation, with particular reference to the tribal areas and Swat, investigation report on Mumbai attacks and Indias response on the 30 questions forwarded by Pakistan, and FIA report regarding the attack on Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore last month. The recent report of the likely US drone strikes expansion to Balochistan was also discussed in the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Advisor to PM on Finance Shaukat Tareen, Advisor to PM on Interior Rahman Malik, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Noman Bashir, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman and other senior officials.
The committee discussed different dimensions of national defence and security and reviewed the Armed Forces Development Plan 2025. The committee discussed the drone attacks by Nato forces in Pakistan territory and expressed apprehension over the news that the coalition force was planning to extend drone attack to Balochistan.
The situation of the tribal areas also came under discussion including Swat situation in the aftermath of the deal made with the local Taliban led by chief of Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi Sufi Mohammad.
Sources said that the Foreign Minister and Chief of Army Staff briefed the meeting about their visits to the US and the developments made there during their parleys with the senior US officials regarding formulation of new strategy with special reference to Pakistan and Afghanistan to handle the war on terror. Qureshi informed the meeting that he made it clear to the senior US officials that Pakistan believes in development and dialogue with the people living in war zone along with military search.
He said that the US officials gave due weight to Pakistans point of view, expressing hope that the new policy would be helpful to overcome the militancy and extremism in these areas. Rehman Malik briefed the committee on reports about the terrorists attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore last month and the Mumbai attacks.
Chief of Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee briefed the meeting about the performance and preparation of the Pak Army to cope with any situation. The committee expressed apprehension that any expansion of the drone attacks to Balochsitan by US coalition forces, as reported by certain section of media, would create more difficulties for Pakistan and for the international community as far as winning of the much costly war on terror was concerned.