ISLAMABAD: The defence committee of the cabinet (DCC) convened under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday with the ongoing rescue operation in Gayari sector of Siachen at the top of the agenda.
After members offered prayers for those trapped under several feet of snow, it went over the details of the tragic incident and of rescue efforts.
The meeting is being attended by the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Information, the CJCSC, Services Chiefs, PSPM, Secretaries of the cabinet and defense, Foreign Affairs, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence, Director General Military Operations, and Director General Intelligence Bureau.
It was decided during the DCC meeting to appeal to the nation for observing Yom-e-Dua on Friday, April 20, 2012, in which special prayers would be offered for the well being and safety of the army personnel and civilians trapped in Gayari sector.
Earlier, the DG MO gave the Prime Minister and other DCC members a detailed briefing about the tragic incident and efforts in the ongoing rescue operation.
In his opening statement, the Prime Minister said that the DCC’s meeting convened today to consider the recommendations of the Parliament that were finalised on Thursday, 12 April, 2012.
Terming the Parliamentary review process as an “unprecedented development which marks a new milestone in Pakistan’s progress along the path of democracy,” the Prime Minister said that the review has allowed Pakistan to establish bilateral ties with US on mutual respect and mutual interests.
The Prime Minister stated relations with US, NATO/ISAF were put on hold until the Parliament took a clear position on how to proceed forward under the new terms of engagement.
“In my view,” Gilani said, “the parliamentary review and oversight would not only give public ownership to Pakistan’s foreign and security policies but also help strengthen the hands of the government in dealing with the international community on issues of greater national importance.”
Secondly, the exercise has given the nation a unique opportunity to set right our bilateral relationship with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interest, the Prime Minister added.
“The message from the Parliament – Yes to partnership - but not at the cost of our sovereignty, carefully calibrated roadmap of engagement,” the Prime Minister maintained.
The Prime Minister said, we now need to move beyond review adding that during the course of the concluding debate he assured the House that it will be his Government’s endeavour to implement the Parliament’s recommendations with regard to our foreign and security policies both in letter and spirit.
The Prime Minister stated, the US-Pakistan bilateral relationship is an important one and Pakistan must be mindful of its national interest, uphold territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
For this, the Prime Minister said, a roadmap for re-engagement with the United States, negotiation of new terms and conditions for resumption of the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOCs), joint counter-terrorism cooperation, greater inter-agency coordination, transparency in US diplomatic and intelligence footprint in Pakistan, strengthening of border security and non-use of Pakistan’s territory for attacks on other countries and expulsion of all foreign fighters from Pakistan’s territory, are our fundamental policy parameters.
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Who's idea was Dua? I thought DCC was going to discuss the issue of "trapped" soldiers in a professional manner. And all they could come up with is Dua. If this is the best they can do, then why do we need to spend billions on their hefty salaries? My 5-year old cousin can do exactly the same free of charge.
Every single Pakistani has raised hands for prayers for the safe recovery of our buried soldiers.