January 3, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 18, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

RAWALPINDI, Jan 2: A meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), held here on Wednesday, was given comprehensive briefings by the three services on the threat being posed to Pakistan in light of the unprecedented Indian military build-up on the international frontiers.

The meeting, presided over by President General Pervez Musharraf, covered the counter-measures that were being taken by the Pakistan armed forces to thwart any misadventure by the adversary. It reviewed the prevailing situation along the country’s land, sea and air frontiers.

Expressing his fullest satisfaction with the operational preparedness of the three services, the president reiterated that while Pakistan stood for peace, its valiant armed force were totally prepared to respond effectively to any attempt of aggression.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), he commended the three services for their excellent contingency plans, and said these reflected not only the will and resolve of the Pakistan armed forces, but also their capacity of responding in a manner that would cause unacceptable damage to the enemy.

Informed sources said the president briefed the meeting about his latest interactions with world leaders, and added that he would now be briefing the Chinese political and military leadership about the threat perceptions in the region when on Thursday he was to make a stopover in Beijing en route to Nepal for Saarc summit.

Musharraf said the international world today understood better Pakistan’s point of view on escalating tension in the region. He told the meeting that Pakistan had been exercising restraint which should not be taken as a sign of any weakness.

Sources said the president reiterated his stand that he was all for peace and would be ready to meet the Indian leadership “at any time and at any place,” but would not beg for any meeting.

The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Aziz, services chiefs and other senior military officers.

Official sources said Pakistan was in touch with its foreign friends, specially China and the members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). At the same time, they said, the United States and other western capitals were being taken into confidence about the latest situation in the region.

In this regard, the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Jan 7 to Pakistan was being given a lot of importance. He was being taken as the close confidant of United States President Bush to remove tension in the region so that the interests of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan were not compromised due to any outbreak of war between the two nuclear neighbours.