ISLAMABAD: The top political and military leadership on Saturday held another round of discussion — the second in four days — to take stock of the security challenges facing the country.

Little was made public about what transpired in the meeting Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani held with President Asif Ali Zardari.

A press release merely said they discussed issues related to the security situation, giving rise to many speculations.

The meeting took place a day after the visit of US Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to Pakistan. According to sources, she had sought access to data of international travellers from Pakistan.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar refused to give any details saying the fact that the prime minister and the army chief met the president was itself something significant. He said he cannot go beyond the ‘carefully drafted’.
 
Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said he was out of the loop as he was not present in the meeting.

Observers believe that the challenge posed by the increased presence of US forces in Afghanistan and the launch of operation in Helmand province of the Western neighbour may have prominently figured at the meeting.

Top Government functionaries including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the recent days have expressed their concern over the development expressing the fear that it would force many people to leave Afghanistan and cross into Pakistan’s territory.

An official told Dawn that external as well as internal threats confronting the country were discussed in detail during the meeting.

He said details of the post operation strategy in Swat and adjoining areas with a particular focus on the likely administrative and security related problems came under discussion.

He said matters pertaining to facilitation of the returning IDPs and enhancing capacity of the law enforcing agencies were also discussed.

He said the counterinsurgency operation in Malakand and South Waziristan region and overall security situation in the country were also discussed.