Zardari to chair meeting on security today

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari will chair a high-level meeting on the country’s security situation today (Monday) to formulate a cohesive response to counter the Taliban’s intensified campaign.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the meeting had been convened on the president’s directive given during his visit to Karachi. “The meeting will review the security situation in the wake of the operation against the Taliban in Swat,” he said. The meeting will also review the threat of Talibanisation, as they have been targeting civilians and security officials in major cities following their defeat in Swat.

Militants attacked a building of law enforcement agencies on Wednesday in Lahore and killed at least 27 people. On Thursday, they struck in Peshawar and DI Khan, and killed nine people. Islamabad went on high alert on Friday and the police checked all vehicles and individuals at the city’s entry and exit points. In Rawalpindi, the police arrested 73 suspects on Saturday.

The federal ministers concerned, all provincial chief ministers, NWFP governor, Azad Kashmir prime minister, Northern Areas chief executive, interior secretary, all chief secretaries, all inspectors general of police, Inter-Services Intelligence director general and Intelligence Bureau director general will attend the meeting. Intelligence chiefs will brief the participants on the threat posed by terrorists, including their major targets. They will also give a briefing on the issue of Punjabi Taliban and the presence of Taliban in Karachi. sajjad malik