By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pakistani lawmakers on Wednesday met for a rare private briefing by the top military and intelligence brass on the country’s security situation including the threat posed by al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, an issue that figured prominently in the second US presidential debate.
President Asif Ali Zardari convened the special joint session of Parliament as part of government’s efforts to evolve a “home-grown” anti-terror policy to take the militants head-on.
The move is the latest step by the PPP-led government to combat terrorism in the wake of a string of suicide attacks across the country that have claimed hundreds of lives and battered the economy.
Security was tight around the parliament building with army being deployed to maintain law and order. The media was also not allowed to go inside but state-run PTV and other channels reported that the session had begun.
The session opened hours after Democratic White House nominee Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain clashed over Pakistan’s inability to curb terrorism.
“I do believe that we have to change our policies with Pakistan. We can’t cuddle, as we did, a dictator, give him billions of dollars and then he’s making peace treaties with the Taliban and militants,” Obama said, referring to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
McCain accused him of announcing a war on Pakistan and cited former US president Theodore Roosevelt’s statement that the Commander-in-chief should “talk softly, but carry a big stick.”