Govt, opposition, Army on same page on security

ISLAMABAD: Briefing the parliamentarians on national security, Kashmir and Afghanistan, the military leadership Thursday said Pakistan will welcome a true representative government in Afghanistan and continue to play a very sincere, positive and responsible role in the Afghan peace process.

The closed-door meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security was held at the National Assembly that lasted for over eight hours. Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed briefed the parliamentarians for over two hours with focus on Afghanistan and regional security scenario.

The meeting — jointly chaired by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser — was attended by 29 members of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and 16 other parliamentarians, including federal ministers and parliamentary leaders.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, National Security Adviser Dr. Moeed Yousuf and the four chief ministers also attended the meeting. Speaker Asad Qaiser hosted a dinner for the participants after it ended at around 11.15pm.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Lt. General Faiz Hameed also attended the dinner and met Speaker Asad Qaisar in his chamber prior to the in-camera session. Sources said the participants of the meeting decided that another session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security should be held before Eid to draft recommendations for the government.

“The DG ISI gave a comprehensive briefing to the parliamentarians and political leadership on important external matters, national security, internal challenges and regional development, especially the Kashmir conflict and Afghanistan’s current situation,” a handout issued by the Ministry of Information said.

The briefing after a break was followed by a questions and answers session. “The COAS also gave comprehensive answers to questions raised by the Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif and other parliamentarians. The political leadership also expressed satisfaction over the briefing. The briefing was good, comprehensive and satisfactory on the present security situation,” Shehbaz Sharif told newsmen when asked to comment on the meeting.

Asked whether General Bajwa also responded to questions of the parliamentarians, Shehbaz said, “Yes, he did”. However, he said he would not share further details of the in-camera meeting.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan had honestly played a very positive and responsible role in the Afghan peace process. “Owing to Pakistan’s efforts, not only was the path paved for talks between different Afghan factions warring groups, but a meaningful dialogue between the United States and Taliban was also started,” the handout said.

The meeting was apprised that Pakistan believed in the fact that a lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan would actually result in stability in South Asia. The DG ISI further said Pakistan’s land was not being used in the conflict going on Afghanistan and hoped that Afghanistan will reciprocate in this regard.

The parliamentarians were further informed that 90 percent of fencing at the Afghan border had already been completed, while an effective system for customs and border control was also being formulated.

The handout also said that the political leadership had expressed satisfaction over the briefing and conveyed wishes for peace, progress and prosperity in Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi after the sitting said the in-camera briefing was held in a very good atmosphere and both the government and opposition members equally participated in the question and answer session.

However, Qureshi said he could not give details of the in-camera adding that a briefing on internal security would be given in the next meeting of the parliamentary committee. To a question, Qureshi said it was already decided that the prime minister would not attend the meeting.

Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad also told newsmen that parliamentarians from both sides stood with the military leadership when it came to national security. “Today a message was given that the political and military leadership was on one page when it came to the national security,” he said.

Talking to newsmen after the briefing, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said no difference of opinion emerged and all the parties presented their points of view on Afghanistan. He said the military leadership attentively heard the parliamentarians and responded to their questions.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told newsmen that decisions and policy making were not underway at the meeting rather information was being shared adding that politic was not a circus and one should not expect new details every day.

“The military leadership has put forward its opinion and now the political leadership will make its decisions,” Abbasi said. When asked, Abbasi said the prime minister’s absence was also being discussed adding that there was not harm in turning up here.

“He should have been present when the country’s policy on security was being discussed,” he said. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto also welcomed Asad Qaiser’s decision to call an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

Meanwhile, responding to question from a journalist while leaving the Parliament House, Gen Bajwa said no air base will be given to the US. "You should have put this question to the government. Why you asked this from me?" However, when insisted, the COAS said no base would be given to the US.