Zardari, Gilani meet, discuss NSA sacking, security situation

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jan 8 (PTI) Amid reports of a rift between
them, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani met here Thursday to discuss the regional
security situation after the country's admission that captured
Mumbai attacker Ajmal Amir Kasab is its national.

Gilani sought the meeting with Zardari to discuss the
fallout of the government's acknowledgment yesterday that
22-year-old Kasab is a Pakistani.

There was no official word on the meeting though official
sources were quoted by TV channels as saying that Gilani
briefed Zardari on the prevailing situation and his decision
to sack National Security Advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani for
confirming Kasab's Pakistani nationality to the media without
taking him into confidence.

The meeting came amid Pakistani media reports that
Zardari was angry over Gilani's decision to sack Durrani
without consulting him. Durrani had been handpicked by Zardari
for the key post last year.

The two leaders also discussed the appointment of a new
National Security Advisor and considered several names.

Among these was former NSA Tariq Aziz, who held the post
during the regime of former President Pervez Musharraf.

Sources told PTI that Aziz had been sounded out recently
by the government to play a role in back-channel diplomacy
with India. However, Aziz had indicated to the government his
reluctance to take up any official post in view of his close
relations and friendship with Musharraf.

Gilani came back to the federal capital after a two-day
visit to Lahore and met Zardari following his return from his
maiden official visit to Afghanistan.

An angry Gilani yesterday sacked Durrani for his
"irresponsible behaviour" and for failing to take the
government into confidence on national security issues.
Official sources said the move came after Durrani told the
media that a preliminary probe had established that Kasab is a
Pakistani national.

Durrani told Geo News channel today that he had not told
any foreign TV news channel that all 10 terrorists involved in
the Mumbai attacks were Pakistanis. He said the charges
levelled against him were incorrect.

Durrani also said that his conscience was clear as he had
always tried to do everything possible in the interest of
Pakistan. PTI