The 69th Formation Commanders’ meeting convened by COAS General Ashfaq Kayani on Wednesday decided to undertake any military offensive in North Waziristan Agency with the joint consensus of the army and civilian leadership.
Sources said during the concluding session of the formation commanders moot on Wednesday, matters relating to overall regional security issues, Pak-US relations, intelligence cooperation, anti-terrorism efforts and various options to defend border posts and security forces from cross border attacks were taken up.
After carrying out a careful evaluation of the NWA issue, it was decided that any possible operation in Waziristan would be carried out after a thorough consensus between the Pakistan Army and civilian leadership, strictly in accordance with national interests and at a convenient time.
The meeting expressed its disappointment over NATO and ISAF’s failure to contain and coordinate against cross-border attacks by terrorists on Pakistani border checkposts and security forces and decided to raise the issue with the American and Afghan military sources in future meetings.
It was also decided to evaluate and evolve a broad-based, result-oriented strategy regarding war against terrorism and other equally detrimental challenges being faced by the federation.
The situation arising out of American drone attacks in the Tribal Areas was also debated in a wider perspective.
Govt resolution called for Swat-like military operation
The resolution which was drafted in the wake of an attack on Malala Yousafzai but could not be tabled in the House, advocated a Swat-like military operation wherever and whenever needed, Geo News reported on Wednesday. The resolution could not be adopted by the National Assembly owing to strong opposition from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. PML-N was wary of the resolution since it received the draft and saw the military operation in NWA as a conspiracy to shelve the upcoming general elections. The draft resolution said that parliament, in the strongest of words, condemns all kinds of organised terrorism perpetrated under the pretext of implementing Islamic system. It also said the plotters of such unconstitutional and non-Islamic acts are not only the enemies of Islam but the state as well. The draft resolution made it clear that there exists a national consensus against the barbaric acts of terrorism and people of Pakistan reject the ‘way of life’ Taliban are trying to impose upon them. It called upon the federal and provincial governments to take effective counterterrorism measures advising military operations where necessary. According to the draft resolution, the parliament denounces the cowardly attack on Malala Yousafzai and her schoolfellows.