General Syed Asim Munir tells parliamentarians Army to fully support elected representatives in journey of development n Says elected representatives determine destination n ‘Negotiations’ main reason behind terrorists regrouping.

ISLAMABAD    -    The top military lead­ership briefed political leaders on the securi­ty situation in the coun­try during an in-cam­era meeting chaired by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the National Assembly Hall on Friday.

Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif, federal min­isters, advisers and members of the Nation­al Assembly attended the meeting. At the out­set of the meeting, Paki­stan Army’s DG Military Operations gave brief­ing to lawmakers about the threat perception, latest security challeng­es and ongoing security operations against mili­tants. Later, Army Chief General Asim Munir and DG ISI Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum responded to the questions asked by the parliamentarians. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with whole cabinet was present in the meeting

While addressing the in-camera session, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir that said it was for the elected rep­resentatives of people to determine the desti­nation and the Pakistan Army would fully support them in the journey of de­velopment and progress of Pakistan. There is no lack of resources in Pakistan, how­ever, “we should leave the debate of new and old Paki­stan and talk about ‘Our Pa­kistan”, he said while speak­ing during the in-camera session. The COAS said the Armed Forces are ready for maintaining durable peace in the country and in that regard intelligence-based operations were underway in the wake of recent re­surgence of terrorism. He stressed that besides the security agencies, all the government departments, whether legal, economic, social or external etc would have to join the campaign against anti-state elements. “This is not a new opera­tion but it is a continua­tion of the already approved state strategy. It reflects the whole of the nation ap­proach and the unwavering confidence of the people,” he added. The COAS said with the blessings of Allah Almighty, at the time there was no “no-go area” in Paki­stan. “Behind this success”, he said, there were the sac­rifices of a large number of martyrs and ghazis, who had shed their blood. “More than 80,000 people have given sacrifices, includ­ing over 20,000 Ghazis and more than 10,000 martyrs,” he added. COAS also under­lined that terrorists had no other option but to accept the writ of the state. The ne­gotiations with the terror­ists had resulted in emer­gence of more terrorist groups, he regretted.