ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has assured Chief of Army
Staff General Ashfaq Pervez that economic and logistic support to
internal and external security forces would not be compromised in any
case.
The President gave these assurances to the army chief
when the latter called on the former at the Presidency Tuesday
afternoon, well-placed sources told Online. According to the sources,
the meeting was crucial in the given state of politics and internal
security, particularly in Sindh and its capital Karachi. It was also on
the rumor mills during the day that President-COAS meeting was to
decide whether or not to use army for law and order in Karachi.
However, the sources were of the view that the two kept Karachi as top
of their meeting’s agenda. Law and order situation in Balochistan also
came under discussion, the sources added.
The sources said that
the President and army chief also discussed Pakistan’s cooperation with
China in the field of defense. The President took the army chief on
board with reference to his latest meetings with Chinese during his
recent visit to China.
The army chief and the President as in
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces also reviewed the situation on
border with Afghanistan viz a viz the ongoing army action against
militants in the tribal areas, the sources said. According to the
sources, the two also exchanged notes to firm up Pakistan’s stance in
the upcoming meeting of the Neighbors of Afghanistan in Istanbul in
October.
An extremely brief press statement issued by the
Presidency stated that the current state of security came under
discussion when the COAS called on the President.
Another
handout stated that Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir also
called on the President and discussed professional matters pertaining
to Pakistan Navy came under discussion during the meeting. Online
