In a bid to defuse tension between the civilian government and the nation's powerful military, whose relations are at their lowest since 1999, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani... Pakistain's erstwhile current prime minister, whose occasional feats of mental gymnastics can be awe-inspiring ...
struck a conciliatory tone with the army chief at a defence committee meeting on Saturday.
"Our government and parliament, and above all our patriotic people, have stood fully behind our brave armed forces and security personnel," said the prime minister.
"It has been my government's policy to allow and enable all state institutions to play their role in their respective domains," he added.
Gilani said that Pakistain's illusory sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
He was addressing the meeting of Defence Committee of the Cabinet which was held here at Prime Minister House under his chairmanship.
The meeting was attended by Senior Minister for Industries and Defence Productions, Minister for Defence, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, Interior Minister, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Army Staff, Air Chief, Naval Chief, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Director General of Intelligence Bureau.
"It has been our consistent endeavour to safeguard Pakistain's supreme national interests in a most effective and inclusive manner," said the prime minister.
He said terrorism and the continued strife and conflict in Afghanistan have impacted directly and severely on Pakistain.
He said thousands of people and officers and soldiers of the armed forces and security personnel fell victim to terror and militancy.
"We have achieved notable success in dealing with the menace of terrorism and we have done so in our national interest," he said.