Sovereignty to be upheld at all costs

ISLAMABAD - The top civilian and military leadership of the country on Friday once again reiterated that no compromise would be made on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state and Government of Pakistan would make America realize that US attacks inside Pakistani territory would serve no purpose of the ongoing war on terror. The meeting between President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister  Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was held at Aiwan-e-Sadr where the former had hosted an Iftar party in honour of Premier Gilani and COAS Kayani. According to a Press release issued by the Prime Minister's media cell, matters of national and international interest came under discussion during the meeting. The unrest in the country's tribal areas, in the backdrop of the ongoing US attacks inside Pakistan, was on top of the agenda and according to the sources the political and military leadership was on the same wavelength and it was the consensus stand of all the three that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state would be upheld at all costs. It was further decided in the meeting that diplomatic channels would be utilised to convince the United States that US attacks inside Pakistani territory in pursuit of the militants would not serve the purpose and it would further add to the problems being faced by Pakistan in the hilly and difficult terrain of the country bordering Afghanistan. It was decided that during the upcoming meeting of President Asif Ali Zardari with American President George Bush on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting next week, the matter of US operations inside Pakistani territory would be taken up and the US President would be informed that such operations would act counterproductive to the ongoing efforts to flush these areas of militants. The three top men in the country's military and political power corridor had discussed at length the tentative agenda of President Zardari's meeting with US President Bush on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meeting starting early next week in New York. The sources privy to the deliberations of the meeting disclosed to The Nation that it was the unanimous view of all the three that Pakistan should forcefully lodge protest with the American President about the continuous violation of the Pakistani airspace and territory by the US forces deployed in Afghanistan and would demand of him to review the policy and respect the territorial integrity of the state. It was further decided that US President George Bush would be informed about the problems being created for Pakistani authorities dealing with the troubled areas in the backdrop of the US attacks inside Pakistani territory as the general public living in these areas was also turning hostile against the Pakistani authorities posing serious threat to the ongoing operation against militants.

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