Civilians and military are on different ends

In what appeared to be an awkward disconnect between civil and military authorities on Monday, the two expressed difference of opinion over the scheduled visit of Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to the United States.

The bilateral ties between Islamabad and Washing are just beginning to thaw after the former resumed NATO supply-line on July 04 after seven month suspension.

On Monday, Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi announced that the military chief will visit to the United States as part of the strategic dialogue. However, some reports quoting military sources denied her claims completely.

Sethi while talking to the media after attending a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence said that a tentative agenda for army chief’s tour was being prepared in consultation with all stakeholders. She, however, said that the exact details of the tour had yet to be finalized.

Showing anonymity military officials denied the reports saying General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani will not pay any visit to the United States in the strategic dialogue.

The Defence Secretary observed, “Two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between the US and Pakistan, including one on the Nato supply routes, during the strategic dialogue, adding that the ministry of defence had been given authorization to sign the MoUs”.

She further informed the media that the ministry in collaboration with all the stakeholders is making efforts to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act. The draft will soon be presented in parliament and other concerned forums, she added.

While replying to a query, the defence secretary said she was unaware of the release schedule of Coalition Support Fund (CSF) payments, but was hopeful that it would release soon after the reopening of land route for allied forcing battling in Afghanistan.

A media report claimed something otherwise saying, “A legal deal to shape cooperation in the war against terror is on top of the agenda for the strategic dialogue, but the army chief would take up the issue of CSF forcefully, with the Americans subjecting it to further cooperation from the Pakistani side”.

Earlier, Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence met to discuss a range of issues pertaining to national security, strengthening civil and military relations and regional security.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Jul 17 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.