ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani held an important meeting on Tuesday to discuss Pakistan’s quest for deepening its ties with China.
Gilani called on Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, where the COAS was also present, according to an official statement.
“Matters concerning security situation were discussed during the meeting as part of consultative process,” it said.
A senior official privy to the meeting told Pakistan Today that the troika had discussed in length Pakistan’s desire to increase its ties with China at a time when relations with another super power and friendly state, US were coming under duress.
“Pakistan doesn’t feel easy with the growing US inclination towards India and the recent decision by the Obama Administration to support New Delhi’s bid for UN Security Council’s permanent seat has perturbed the country’s leadership,” said the official.
He said the US’ consistent refusal to Pakistan’s demand for a civilian nuclear pact on the pattern of Indo-US nuclear deal had also not gone down well with ruling circles in Islamabad.
“The Chinese leadership, on the other hand, had reassured the Pakistani leaders of all possible assistance in the field of civilian nuclear energy during President Zardari’s recent trip to China,” he said.
“The evolving consensus among the Pakistani policymakers was to bring some shift in reliance from the US to China as far as the country’s defense and economic needs were concerned and the troika’s meeting today was a part of crucial ongoing consultations in Pakistani capital on this vital issue,” the official said.
However, he hastened to add that the enhancement of ties with China did not imply that Pakistan was in any mood to come out of its alliance with the US.
“Pakistani policymakers feel it’s time to strike a balance in Islamabad’s ties with the two most important nations on the face of earth,” he said.
