LAHORE / ISLAMABAD, July 14: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has convened a meeting of heads of the parties in the ruling coalition on July 23 and 24 to prepare a strategy for combating terrorism.

Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) Amir Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari would attend the meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister told a press conference here on Monday.

“The meeting will decide a plan of action to proceed against terrorists, suicide bombers and a handful of people who are disturbing the peace of the nation and creating a law and order problem,” he said.

When asked about apprehensions of military strikes by foreign forces, Mr Gilani said extremists and terrorists were tarnishing the country’s image but “Pakistan is a sovereign and independent country. No one will be allowed to strike inside its territory.”

However, “we should put our house in order and improve the law and order situation,” he said.

The meeting has been called after reservations were expressed by the JUI-F and the PML-N about the ongoing military operation in various parts of the NWFP and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

Mr Gilani said the NWFP governor and chief minister had told him that the provincial government had sought the help of the army to control the situation in Hangu. “Islamabad fully supports the provincial government’s quest for peace in the province because it is the primary duty of the state to protect the life and property of its citizens,” he said.When asked about PML-N’s complaint of having been ignored while launching military operations, he said: “Under the Constitution any province or district may call out the army for assistance in controlling a law and order situation. It is their prerogative.”

He said Mr Sharif would not quit the coalition despite differences on the judges’ issue. He said each of the parties in the coalition had its own political agenda. “We have got together on a minimum programme.”

He said the PPP was taking steps to resolve the judges’ issue.

Earlier, the prime minister discussed with the chiefs of the JUI-F and the ANP in Islamabad the planned expansion of the federal cabinet and other issues.

He agreed with Maulana Fazl about the need to hold a meeting of the coalition leaders.

Both the leaders agreed that it was imperative to take all the coalition partners on board in chalking out a policy on tribal areas, law and order and foreign policy issues.

After a luncheon meeting with the prime minister and the ANP president, Maulana Fazl told reporters that he had expressed his party’s reservations regarding the move to expand the cabinet, while reassuring the prime minister of his party’s full support to the government.

Talking to Dawn, he said the prime minister had agreed with him on the dangers emanating from the worsening situation in the tribal areas and the effect of its possible spillover into the NWFP.

The Maulana said he had also expressed his reservations on the move to commute capital punishment into life imprisonment.

He asserted that the constitutional package containing about 200 clauses would remain a disputed document and it would be better to remove from the Constitution the articles which threatened the sovereignty of parliament.

Referring to some steps taken by the government regarding foreign policy and law and order, the JUI-F chief said: “If this state of affairs ends up in damaging the solidarity of the country or in any other eventuality, all of us who are in this coalition will be held responsible while all of us are not on board in taking these decisions.”

He said he had told the premier that his party would not share the responsibility if anything happened because of PPP’s own decisions.

He said the expansion of cabinet and other matters were not as serious as was the problem of law and order, which would worsen when people would receive hefty utility bills.

He said the parties in the coalition should remain in touch on all issues after fixing the parameters of policies regarding the country’s relations with international powers.

Maulana Fazl said he had also discussed with the prime minister the issue of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid and law and order in Balochistan and Sindh.

The British high commissioner also met the JUI-F chief and discussed with him the situation in Khyber Agency with reference to his party’s engagement with the warring factions of Bara.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters in the federal capital, the prime minister denied that decisions were being taken on the directives of Mr Zardari. He said he had not visited the Zardari House since having taken the oath as the prime minister.

He said the government’s request to the United Nations for an investigation into former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination was in line with a resolution passed unanimously by the National Assembly.