Pak commanders meet PM, President on "security situation"

PAK-MILITARY
From Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jun 14 (PTI) In what could be a prelude to a
possible operation in North Waziristan against the al-Qaeda
militants holed up there, Pakistani military commanders have
met with the President as well as the Prime Minister, a move
termed by a leading daily here as "far from routine".
Pakistan's armed forces have also sought the government's
support on a number of issues during the meeting held against
the backdrop of increasing domestic and international
criticism of the military.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani met the entire military leadership, including
powerful army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in the
presidency Monday to discuss the "security situation", an
official statement said.
However, the meeting was "far from routine" and
discussed the political and security implications of a
possible military operation in North Waziristan tribal region
as is being demanded by the US, The Express Tribune newspaper
quoted its sources as saying.
The chiefs of the armed forces asked the civilian
leadership to take up the possible operation in parliament,
similar to the effort made when a campaign was launched in the
restive Swat valley two years ago.
The meeting also discussed the political, monetary and
security implications of such an operation, the report said.
Following the May 2 US raid that killed Osama bin
Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad, the US has pressured
Pakistan to launch an operation in North Waziristan Agency,
described by Washington as a safe haven for Taliban and
al-Qaeda elements that carry out cross-border attacks in
Afghanistan. PTI RHL
KAP