Islamabad, March 9: Pakistani Prime Minister waz Sharif filised the strategy for his Wednesday’s trip to Saudi Arabia, where he is likely to define the role Islamabad will play in the 34-tion counter-terrorism alliance formed by the kingdom.
Sharif on Tuesday met his top foreign policy, economy, military and intelligence advisers before he and the army chief General Raheel Sharif leave for Saudi Arabia, Dawn online reported.
Sharif will attend the concluding ceremony of the multitiol counter-terrorism exercise — Raad al-Shamal. Discussions on the shape and scope of activities of the Saudi-led alliance are also expected to take place on the sidelines of the ceremony. Pakistan has kept its position on the alliance vague, but government ministers have on different occasions hinted that it could help in intelligence sharing, capacity building, provision of military hardware and formulation of counter-rrative to extremist propaganda.
Anticipating a major return for engagement with Saudi Arabia in its venture, the government is pushing for a more active involvement in the alliance. The meeting, according to a source, also discussed the progress in investigation into the involvement of Pakistan-based militants in the Pathankot airbase attack and the impending visit of the investigation team to India for collecting further evidence.
The investigation team is expected to travel to India in the next few days.
Pakistan tipped off India about a terrorist plot hatched by Lashkar-e-Taiba for whose execution it was said that a team of 10-15 militants had crossed the border. In the domestic context, the meeting discussed the Karachi situation, terrorist attack on the court complex in Charsadda and the last phase of ongoing Shawal operation. The statement said the meeting had reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fighting terrorism. “The meeting agreed that elimition of terrorism from our soil is a tiol resolve and paid tribute to the personnel of law-enforcement and security agencies who embraced martyrdom while fighting this mece of terrorism,” it said. Sharif and General Raheel leave on Wednesday on a three-days visit to Saudi Arabia. (IANS)