ISLAMABAD - The top political and military leadership of the country on Wednesday approved recommendations presented by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on new rules of engagement with the US, Nato and Isaf.
These recommendations will be tabled in the joint session of the Parliament for approval at an appropriate time. According to the sources, the matter was taken up by the troika including the President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and later also discussed threadbare at another meeting with the heads of the allied parties of the ruling PPP.
Outgoing Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman and ISI DG Lt-Gen Shuja Pasha also attended and briefed the meeting on various issues related to national security and foreign policy.
The political leadership gave its viewpoint about the future nature of ties with the US while the military and foreign office leaders also gave their input. The military leadership briefed the meeting on the Nato supplies and vowed to fully implement the recommendations over national integrity and sovereignty after their approval by the Parliament.
The military and the political leadership declared that the national interests would not be compromised at any cost. According to the sources, the meeting decided that the Parliament would hold the right to amend recommendations on the Nato supplies and other issues.
Sources further said the meeting also decided that the prime minister will take the leadership of all the political parties, including the PML-N, into confidence before presenting the recommendations of the committee in the Parliament for a final decision so that the policy had the backing of the people of Pakistan.
Those attended the meeting included Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Farooq Sattar, Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri, Munir Khan Orakzai, Shaukatullah, Finance Advisor Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, , Lt. Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani and former secretary Salman Bashir.
Agencies add: The top civilian and military leadership has agreed in principle to revive normal relations with US-led forces in Afghanistan and restore Nato supplies through land route. The rare meeting was called just days ahead of the joint session of the Parliament that will mark the new parliamentary year but will mainly focus on the debate on the future relationship with the US and NATO allies.
Although the government spokesmen told the media that the meeting reiterated the government’s earlier stance that the Parliament would take decision on the Nato supplies and relationship with the US, the leaders agreed to restore land route and revive normal ties with the US.
Pakistan blocked supplies for nearly 150,000 allied troops in Afghanistan as protest against the airstrikes by the American fighter jets and helicopters in Mohmand Agency and killed 24 soldiers.
Pakistan had also got vacated the key Shamsi airbase from the US army and had boycotted the Bonn conference on Afghanistan as a protest.
Pakistan had also refused to welcome top US military leaders and diplomats until parliamentary review is completed, which had also been delayed for some time.
But the meeting also decided to receive the top US visitors whenever they want to visit Pakistan and they agreed with the proposed visit of the US Centcom chief General Mattis, who is likely to visit later this month.