Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Sunday said the attack targeting the church in Quetta was an attempt to cloud Christmas celebrations and create religious cleavages.

“Effective response by LEAs is commendable. We stay united and steadfast to respond against such heinous attempts,” the COAS added. The COAS is set to brief a Senate committee over the country’s security situation and the region on Tuesday. The vital in-camera meeting of the committee, encompassing the whole upper house of parliament, is scheduled for 10am tomorrow. According to a notification issued by the Senate secretariat on Sunday, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Maj-Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza will also brief the House alongside the army chief. The meeting was expected to devise a strategy over ‘the emerging national security paradigm for Pakistan with respect to recent visits/developments’.

Regional security situation following US President Donald Trump’s decision of recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and Saudi Arabia’s initiative of Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) were also likely to be discussed in the meeting. Gen Qamar was also likely take the Senate committee into confidence over US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s recent visit to the country.

Published in Daily Times, December 18th 2017.