Meeting with Kayani: PM to take up LoC issue with Singh

Discusses national security policy with army chief.

ISLAMABAD:

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif prior to his first address to the nation and discussed defence related issues.

The two discussed the proposed National Security Policy to counter terrorism, current wave of violence and extremism, and the situation on the Line of Control (LoC) during the meeting.

A senior official at the PM Office told The Express Tribune that the army chief, apart from briefing Nawaz on important defence matters and border situation, conveyed the military’s reservations over the LoC and border violations by India.

“The COAS was of the view that recurrence of such incidents is not only forcing Pakistan’s military to respond even harder as it is not only violating the LoC agreement 2003 but also causing physical and financial damages to the residents living in the area,” the official said.

According to the official, the premier assured Kayani that he would take up the issue in a forceful manner in the expected meeting with his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.

“The war is not the solution to such disputes.  They can be dealt with through a dialogue process and I would prefer dialogue over a third or fourth war with India,” the official quoted premier as saying.

The prime minister and the army chief also discussed issues related to the security of hardened terrorists lodged in different jails and execution of death-row prisoners, besides deployment of troops at the polling stations during the by-polls.

According to the sources, Nawaz conveyed to the COAS his serious reservations over non-performance of security and intelligence agencies with particular reference to the recent targeted and sectarian killings in Balochistan.

“Balochistan cannot be ignored at all and the security and intelligence forces need to play their role effectively; otherwise there would be a big reshuffle,” the PM was quoted as saying.

The official said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and prime minister’s political and military secretaries were also present during the meeting.

The Prime Minister’s Office however did not issue any official statement about the meeting and everything was kept classified.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2013.