ISLAMABAD: Resolving to continue fighting terrorism, the country’s civilian and military leadership on Friday announced that any decision about a military offensive in North Waziristan Agency and any other tribal region would be Pakistan’s own and no outside pressure would be accepted.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi were also present. According to an official statement issued after the meeting, matters related to the recently-concluded third round of Pak-US strategic dialogue and overall regional situation were discussed.
An official privy to the meeting said the discussion was focused on the strategic dialogue with the US, particularly Washington’s repeated demand for a military offensive in North Waziristan. The official said the meeting also had thorough deliberations on Pakistan’s own plan for a targeted military operation in North Waziristan that has also been approved by the Obama administration.
He said it was decided that any decision on the vital issue of launching an operation in North Waziristan would be taken by Islamabad, keeping in view the ground realities. He said same was the case with the timeframe of the offensive.
“The country’s leadership made it clear that any external pressure in this regard will not be acceptable,” he said. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the outcome of recently-concluded strategic dialogue and hoped that the pledges made by the Obama administration regarding the extension of financial help and defense related assistance to Islamabad would be fulfilled, the official said.
He said the leaders also took a stock of the current political situation and stressed upon the need of political stability and strengthening of democratic order in the country.
