ISLAMABAD Dec 19 (TNS): In a first of its kind event, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa briefed the Senate Committee of the Whole on national security matters on Tuesday.
Former Senate chairman Farook H Naek said, it was the “first time such a detailed briefing took place. Senators asked questions which were answered in detail by the Chief of Army Staff.
Senator Mushahid Hussain hailed the briefing as a “historic day for democracy and civil-military relations in Pakistan”.
A Committee of the Whole (or Whole House) is formed when the entire membership of the House sits down as one committee constituted according to article 172A and 172B of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate.
The session, which lasted over four hours, was also attended by DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor, DG ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar and DG Military Operations Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani chaired the committee session.
As per a notification issued earlier, the COAS and DGMO briefed members on the emerging national security paradigm for Pakistan with respect to recent visits and developments.
A Question & Answer session was also held at the conclusion of the session.
The Army Chief also briefed the members regarding the Islamic Military Alliance.
According to sources, the COAS said the 41-member alliance was not against any country. General Bajwa added Pakistan would not let a war take place between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
He emphasized that people analyzing events on television were retired officers and not spokespersons of the Pakistan Army.
Senator Mushahid Hussain said, “This is for the first time that such an open and detailed briefing was given. Everyone is very satisfied with the COAS briefing. This is a very good thing for civil-military relations. The confusion created by the current situation has been cleared,” he said.
Former chairman Senate Farook H Naek added, “I believe that the discussions in the committee were held in a pleasant atmosphere. A lot of things were cleared.”
The Committee of the Whole House was constituted ‘to prepare policy guidelines in light of the emerging regional realities and the role of the United States.’
Relations between Pakistan and the United States have suffered over the past few months, after US President Donald Trump, in a fiery speech back in August, accused Pakistan of offering a ‘safe haven’ to terrorists as he announced a revised policy towards the Afghan war.
After the Senate committee session, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor shared some details from the briefing and said he will do a detailed press conference regarding the session in three to four days.
“COAS briefed the Senate members on Pakistan’s policy on the war against terrorism. DGMO gave a detailed briefing on the security situation,” the DG ISPR said.
“Senators expressed their pleasure in meeting COAS and acknowledged the sacrifices of the Armed Forces,” he said, adding that “till we are united no one can defeat us.”
