Kayani, ISI to brief joint session of parliament on terrorism

Islamabad, Oct 5 (PTI) Rattled by a string of audacious suicide bombings across Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari has called a joint session of parliament where lawmakers will get a rare briefing by top military and intelligence officials on efforts to take "head-on" the raging militancy.

Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Sunday also approved a comprehensive plan to heighten security for the top leadership in the wake of an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, a key leader of the Pakistan People's Party-led ruling coalition.

The two also finalised the agenda for the special
in-camera joint session on Wednesday during a meeting at the
presidential palace.

It was the second meeting between the two leaders
since Saturday, when Zardari decided to call the joint session
of parliament after talks with the Prime Minister and the army
chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

Kayani, Director General of Military Operations and
chiefs of the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (I.S.I.) and
Military Intelligence are expected to take part in the
briefing.

At the meeting, Zardari and Gilani exchanged views on
"matters of national importance, including the prevailing
security situation as well as the challenges facing the
country", state-run A.P.P. news agency reported.

T.V. channels quoted official sources as saying that
the government had decided to "tackle the issue of militancy
head-on" and wanted to take elected representatives into
confidence during the joint session of parliament.

The parliamentarians will be briefed on internal and
external threats facing Pakistan, the military operation
against the Taliban in Bajaur Agency and the security
situation in the tribal areas and along the
Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The influential Dawn newspaper reported that a large
number of lawmakers had sought a joint session of parliament
to discuss the "rapidly deteriorating law and order situation,
with special reference to suicide bombings."

In his meetings with civilian leaders, army chief
Kayani has sought a concerted effort to build consensus on the
issue of combating militancy in order to provide "full
political and moral support to the military."

The government is hoping to evolve a home-grown
strategy to deal with terrorism by taking elected
representatives into confidence.

Gilani and Zardari directed the interior ministry to
provide maximum security to the country's top political and
religious leadership. A suicide bomber blew himself up in
Khan's guest-house in the North West Frontier Province on
Thursday, killing four persons.

The government's move to increase security for top
leaders follows an intelligence report about possible threats
to prominent politicians, including Zardari, Gilani, federal
ministers and heads of political parties.

The political leaders have been asked to restrict
their movements and to keep their itineraries secret.

The Pakistan government had stepped up security across
the country after the deadly suicide attack on the Marriott
Hotel that killed nearly 60 people, including the Czech envoy.
Despite the increased security, the U.N. and the British
government have announced they will withdraw the children of
international and diplomatic staff from Pakistan.

The U.N.'s security department has also advised all
staff members in Islamabad to keep a low profile and to avoid
visiting outlets of Western franchises.