close
Friday March 29, 2024

Gen Bajwa interacts with parliamentary leaders

By our correspondents
February 28, 2019

ISLAMABAD: The National Command Authority (NCA) in its important meeting on Wednesday expressed satisfaction about the state of preparedness to take on any misadventure by India and assured the nation that Pakistan can thwart designs of its enemies who are out to ruin peace of the region for their political and ulterior motives.

The 24th meeting of the NCA, first in the incumbent government, took stock of the overall environment of peace in the region.

The authority took certain decisions to deal with upcoming situation and developments in the region especially India’s warmongering also came under discussion. The sources told The News Wednesday evening that the NCA assured the nation that it would live up to the expectations of the fellow countrymen and no one could think of casting an evil eye towards Pakistan. The NCA huddle was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan and it was attended by federal ministers concerned, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Director-General of Strategic Plans Division (Secretary) Lieutenant General Sarfraz Sattar, technical advisers and others. The Development Control Committee is also chaired by the head of government and includes CJCSC (Deputy Chairman), Services Chiefs, Director-General of Strategic Plans Division and representatives of the strategic organisations and, the scientific community. The committee controls the development of strategic assets.

It would be pertinent to mention that the NCA is country’s principal decision making body on nuclear issues. It consists of an Employment Control Committee and a Development Control Committee, as well as the Strategic Plans Division which acts as its secretariat. The Employment Control Committee is chaired by the head of the government (presently Prime Minister Imran Khan) and includes the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Deputy Chairman) Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Defence Pervaiz Khattak, Interior Sheharyar Afridi, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, services chiefs, Director-General of Strategic Plans Division (Secretary) technical advisers and others, as required by the chairman.

The Development Control Committee is also chaired by the head of government and includes CJCSC (Deputy Chairman), Services Chiefs, Director-General of Strategic Plans Division and representatives of the strategic organisations and, the scientific community.

This committee controls the development of strategic assets. The Strategic Plans Division, headed by a senior army officer, was established in the Joint Services Headquarters under the CJCSC to act as the Secretariat for the NCA and perform functions relating to planning, coordination, and establishment of a reliable command, control, communication, computers and intelligence network.

Meanwhile, parliamentary leaders expressed their solidarity with the armed forces against Indian aggression during the in-camera briefing of the parliamentary leaders of both the houses of the parliament.

The parliamentary leaders of all the political parties in the Senate and National Assembly during an in-camera briefing in presence of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa paid tributes to armed forces’ for their services in defence of the motherland.

A press release issued by the National Assembly Secretariat said a special meeting of parliamentary leaders was convened at Parliament House to brief national leadership on the ongoing security situation. The parliamentarians were briefed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and followed by DG ISPR Major General asif Ghafoor. COAS also interacted with the forum after the brief.

The forum unanimously expressed that they stand united against any aggression to Pakistan and will support the government and its institutions unconditionally. They also expressed hope that those who want peace and stability will prevail as war is not an option but a failure of policy. National leaders of all political parties offered their services for the cause of peace and progress.

In the end Senate chairman and National Assembly Speaker thanked the leadership for their unequivocal support at the moment of crisis.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa gave the overall briefing on the matters related to national security, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on the ongoing tense situation with India and response given to violation of Line of Control (LoC) by the Indian aircraft on Tuesday.

The parliamentary leaders praised response given by the jet fighters of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by hitting down two Indian aircraft at LoC.

Prominent among those who attended the in-camera briefing at the Parliament House included Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, former president and PPP Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari, Deputy Chairman Senate Salim Mandviwala, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri, Opposition Leader in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, ex-Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Marriyam Aurangzeb, Senator Mushahidullah, Syed Khursheed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Sherry Rehman, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor, Maulana Attaur Rehman, Maulana Asadur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Wasey, Shaikh Rashid Ahmad and others.

However, Prime Minister Imran khan did not attend the in-camera briefing of the parliamentary leaders.

The in-camera briefing was given prior to joint sitting of two Houses of the Parliament which had been convened to discuss the ongoing tense situation between Pakistan and India.

After the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in-camera briefing was given to the parliamentary leaders and he briefed them on the steps taken at diplomatic level and Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements with the different countries as well as on the overall regional situation.

He said the DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor briefed the parliamentary leaders about the overall steps taken after the Indian aggression and operation which Pakistan conducted on Wednesday.

He said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa gave a comprehensive and detailed briefing on the overall situation, alertness and about the steps taken to move ahead. “There was complete consensus among the parliamentary and military leaderships and all the parliamentary leadership also expressed their solidarity with government of Pakistan and expressed firm resolve to protect the country’s national interest,” he said.

He said that he conveyed the appreciation of the national leadership from the prime minister.

The foreign minister said during the in-camera briefing received important telephone call of Chinese foreign minister. He took him into confidence and Chinese foreign minister expressed solidarity with Pakistan.

He said he had also received the telephone call from Iranian foreign minister. The foreign minister said he also received call from the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia during the in-camera briefing. “The Saudi Arab Foreign Minister also conveyed the message of the Crown Prince in which he expressed the resolve to stand with Pakistan and expressed his desire to visit the region to play his role for the de-escalation in the region.

Chief of the Army Staff thanked leaders of the parliamentary parties for their outstanding support to the armed forces.

He told senior parliamentarians that befitting response had been given to India to violation of Line of Control (LoC) by the Indian aircraft.

The sources said the army chief said that the PAF aircraft did not cross the LoC whereas the Indian aircraft were hit when they entered the air space of Azad Kashmir.

According to sources, General Bajwa told parliamentarians that any action from India could not be ruled out but the armed forces were fully ready for defence of the country.

He also apprised the parliamentary leaders about preparedness of the armed forces in the present situation which he said was obvious from hitting down of two Indian aircraft.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani while talking to newsmen said he was thankful to Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar and Chief of Army staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

He said the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa gave the detailed briefing and all the political leadership of the country expressed firm resolve to stand united with the government and armed forces.

After the briefing, Asif Ali Zardari said that the morale was high.

Opposition leader in the National Assembly and President PML-N Shahbaz Sharif while talking to newsmen after the meeting said that the armed forces of the country were fully prepared to face any eventuality.

He said with the action of the Pakistan Air force, the morale of the country was high and it was remarkable action which clearly showed the capability of the armed forces of the country. “Now India and Modi should have to come into senses and should avoid further raising the tension as it will only destabilise the peace in the region,” he said.

Responding to a question from a journalist, the DG ISPR said the briefing went well.

Meanwhile, the people staged rallies across the country in support of Pakistan armed forces.

In Balochistan, the people from all walks of life, including Baloch, Pashtun and others civil society members, Wednesday took out rallies across Balochistan to show solidarity with the Pakistan Armed Forces and condemned Indian aggression along the Line of Control (LoC).

In the provincial capital, the Pakistan Zindabad (Long live Pakistan) rally was brought out from Imdad Chowk which was led by tribal elders Mir Shah Jhan Gur Gunari, Mir Muzam Shahwani, Abdul Ghaffar Badeni, Mir Ahmed Chiltanwal, Sardar Karim-Ullah, Commander Mullah Ubaidullah Bareach, Sardar Azmatullah Dummar, Nawab Zaffrullah Khan Shahwani, Mir Rauf Qalandarani, Takri Habibullah Kurd and Mir Zarak Muhammad Hassani.

The participants of the rally marched on different city’s roads chanting slogans against India and culminated into a meeting at the Press Club Quetta.

Addressing the meeting, the leaders said the entire nation stood united behind the armed forces against the Indian aggression.

An effigy of Indian Prime Minister Modi was also set on fire.

According to reports reaching here, rallies were also held in Zhob, Chaman, Nasirabad and other cities and towns.