According to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office on Monday, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who will be returning immediately after her address to the General Assembly on September 27, will brief the political leadership about the security situation in the region in general and Pakistan in particular.
The military leadership will also brief participants, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has yet to decide whether it will attend the conference.
“We will take a decision with regards to the conference on Tuesday (today),” PML-N Information Secretary Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan told The Express Tribune. However, he said, “it is a national issue and the PML-N will not lag behind at this hour.”
Responding to a question, he said that the meeting to arrive at a decision will soon be held in Raiwind, chaired by party chief Nawaz Sharif.
Earlier in the day, Senator Ishaq Dar had written a letter to the prime minister asking for a joint session of the parliament. The move has come parallel to the PM’s announcement of the conference.
When asked for the PML-N’s reasons for demanding a joint sitting of parliament, Khan explained that, “Parliament is a constitutional forum where representatives of national institutions [military and intelligence] can share details and take lawmakers into confidence regarding national security”.
Recalling previous joint sessions and closed-door briefings by military and intelligence officials, he said “the briefing to the joint session should not be in-camera. It should be public.”
In his letter to the PM, Senator Dar had said that “the viewpoints of all stakeholders in Pakistan must also be ascertained against the allegations [levelled by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Admiral Mike Mullen].”
He said that the anti-Pakistan joint briefing in Washington on September 22 by Panetta and Mullen appears to have been aimed at stemming the nosedive in the morale of US soldiers in Afghanistan.
“Reportedly, both men share the responsibility for America’s failure to achieve peace objectives in Afghanistan and protect the lives of US soldiers in the country. It seems that Pakistan came as an easy scapegoat as no credible evidence has been produced till date by the said persons pertaining to allegations elucidated by them against Pakistan,” the letter reads.
The letter says that ‘under the circumstances, solidarity of political parties and parliamentarians is direly needed. It is essential that a joint session of parliament is summoned immediately and a frank discussion takes place on the subject’.
Earlier, opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also demanded the government to call a session of the parliament. President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned a session of the National Assembly on October 3.
Meanwhile, Senator Raza Rabbani has also convened a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on the same day as the National Assembly meets (October 3).
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2011.
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COMMENTS (18)
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@Mohammad naeem:
Yes Naeem shab, I totally agree with you. Things will eventually play out for the best, all we need is patience because democracy is a lengthy process. I am impressed by President Zardari and how he has tackled situations with a cool mind thus far.
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Instead of convening all parties conference our leaders and all political parties' leaders must be reunited now by forgetting all differences support and back up Pakistan Army because in Corps Commanders' meeting all issues have been discussed thoroughly and no more political conference is needed.
No need of this meeting, leaders have already read statement of top brass in newspapers.
Endgame?
Sitaon ke age jahaan aur bhi hain
Pakistan ke intihaan abhi aur bhi hain.
The game has just begun!
Honestly, isn't it time for GIlani to hand over control to more competent leaders? Gen. Kayani, for example?
Stand up to USA tell them enough is enough. Withdraw from the fake war on terror which is not ours. Called Grand Jirga in FATA and start negotiating with Taliban. When USA is talking to Taliban why cant we talk to them. This is the only solution.
@Sad but true: dear sad but true with all due respect u r sad for sure but not true atleast this tym , kindly dont make us sad consistently
already too late, lets not wait any longer to say GOOD BYE USA,,,,, Also Saudi being the main puppet of US in the region , MUST not be given any importance!!!
@hassan Sorry but we are not ready to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of terrorists. You are welcome to go live in Waziristan where your scenario will indeed come true.
Endgame of what? Does not look like US is leaving Af-Pak soon. From where do you get this impression?
If it's anything like the conference that was held after OBL was caught hiding in Pakistan - you can bet there will be no discussion about the strategy of allowing terrorist sanctuary within Pakistan and lots of anti American blather and chest pounding.
This is the time to show unity and love for our country. Our Army is showing lots of guts by defying US and refusing to bow under pressure. There is a distinct possibility that US and its friends will soon be trying to steal our precious Nukes. This is the time we should show that we can also make sacrifices in case US decides to stop all its aid to our country.
We should stop complaining if we lose a loved one in bomb blast or in war. May be, there will be long power cuts or fuel shortages, but we should be able to bear this with a stoic spirit. Due to sanctions imposed by US, we may lose jobs, but we will help our muslim brothers. There might be riots on the street due to food shortage or floods or due to collapse of economy, but we should not retaliate or put blame on our army and put them under pressure.We should also take a pledge that...whatever happens, we will NOT go to India or any other western country seeking refugee status.
We should remember that our Army is doing everything to keep us safe from our horrible neighbors, India and Afghanistan. Our sacrifices are nothing compared to the sacrifices they make for us.
Now our nation will forget everything else and vote for PPP in elections, Thats the only negative out of this endgame.
Rest assure. U can expect best things from ppp u jus have to give them time including minimizing corruption. U have to think long term while performing difficult tasks which a diverse country like pakistan faces today. While zardari in saddle: he can drive country out in the right direction!
PPP should prepare ZAB styled response. Enough is enough lets play the endgame now.