[Dawn] The country's top civil and military command and most of the major opposition parties' leaders decided in principle on Friday to launch a military operation in South Waziristan, terming it 'imperative' to eliminating terrorism and extremism from the country.According to sources, participants of a meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, agreed that a recent spate of suicide bombings in different parts of the country had roots in South Waziristan and suicide bombings and terrorist attacks could not be curbed without crushing terrorists' leaders hiding in tribal areas.
Chief of Army Staff, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, gave a detailed briefing and the meeting is reported to have decided about the timing of the operation, but it was not officially disclosed to the media.
According to the sources, the operation might be launched within 24 hours. President Asif Ali Zardari did not attend, but he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Gilani shortly before the meeting.
Security sources said it was going to be a three-pronged operation supervised by the corps commander concerned with the aim to block all routes of militants present in the region, particularly the Mehsud area.
The operation will be supported by the air power, including helicopter gunships and jet bombers. The army has reportedly sent two divisions totalling 28,000 men and blocked different routes in the area.
Analysts said an immediate push would be needed with winter approaching. It was learnt that military authorities had completed all arrangements for the operation. Over 8,000 families of South Waziristan moved to Dera Ismail Khan on Friday to seek shelter.
There was no significant opposition to the operation in the meeting, except some concerns expressed by leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-N. A source quoted PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar as saying: 'We were invited to discuss the law and order situation, but the whole discussion focused on South Waziristan.'
The army chief said the situation had become so 'dangerous' because of terrorist activities being planned in South Waziristan that a military operation had become unavoidable.
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt-Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha briefed the meeting about intelligence reports and said: 'You cannot imagine how many people are on the hit list of terrorists.
They are not only important personalities and politicians but some ordinary people in different professions.' Interior Minister Rehman Malik gave a separate briefing when Chaudhry Nisar asked why the operation had become necessary.
He presented an overall picture of militant organisations and their activities in South Waziristan and claimed that not only the current spate of terrorist attacks, but also those that took place in the past had links with Taliban in the region. The PML-Q supported the decision to launch the operation.
'We condemn slaughter of innocent people by terrorists and support any operation to be launched in South Waziristan,' said the party's chief, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
A PML-Q leader, Ameer Muqam, said the meeting had extended complete support to the army in the war against terror.
'Our forces are fighting against militancy and we know that there is no other way to deal with the situation.'
In reply to a question, he said the timing of the operation would depend on the government, its resources and the military authorities, 'but one clear message the political leadership gave in the meeting is that the entire nation is behind the army in this war'.
The meeting was attended by Awami National Party's Asfandyar Wali Khan, PML-N's Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Muttahida Qaumi Movement's Dr Farooq Sattar, Balochistan National Party-A's Senator Israrullah Zehri, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao of the Pakistan People's Party-S, Munir Khan Orakzai from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Mian Raza Rabbani of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Pir Sadruddin Shah of the PML-F, Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, Chief Minister Amir Haidar Khan Hoti, the chief of the Intelligence Bureau and other officials.
'It has always been our stand that whatever resources and economic support are required would be given in the war on terror,'
Senator Rabbani of the PPP said.The meeting decided that the writ of the government would never be compromised in any part of the country.
'There was consensus that all efforts to eradicate extremism and terrorism will be taken forward,' Rabbani said.
The army has spent months softening targets in the region with air strikes, but refuses to set a timeframe for a ground offensive.
A handout said the political leadership noted that there already existed an across-the-board consensus to root out extremism and restore the writ of the state.
The leadership acknowledged the army's successes in Malakand and Swat, condemned the recent upsurge of terror incidents and agreed that militancy posed a serious threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the state.
In the given circumstances, the national consensus was reaffirmed to establish and maintain the writ of the state and weed out those elements.
The sources said that the first draft of the statement was rejected on the suggestion of the army chief, who wanted some applause for the armed forces' personnel who had sacrificed their lives in the war on terror.
'The political leadership assembled together appreciated the sacrifices and the ongoing efforts of the Pakistan Army in this regard,' the handout said.