No concessions to extremists

ISLAMABAD - The political and military leadership of the country once again reiterated that the government would neither compromise on the maintenance of the writ of state nor would it allow the militants and non-state actors to establish their own parallel authority in any part of the country through the use of force.
A high-level meeting was held here on Friday at Awan-i-Sadr to review the security situation in NWFP in the wake of threat posed by the militants in Swat and adjoining areas.
The meeting presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari was attended by the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and President Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali Khan.
According to the official spokesman for President House former Senator Farhatullah Babar, the meeting took stock of the situation and reiterated that the government would neither compromise on enforcing writ of the state nor allow the militants and non-state actors to establish their own parallel authority in any part of the country through use of force.
The sources privy to the deliberations of the meeting disclosed to The Nation that the military and political leadership of the country expressed concern over the way militants were expanding their control to adjoining areas of Swat and made it clear that no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government and if the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation was violated then Government of Pakistan would also be free from its obligation.
It was also the unanimous view of the participants of the meeting that Nizam-i-Adl Regulation was linked to bringing peace to the area by the TNSM and if they failed to meet their part of obligations then Government of Pakistan would also be free from its obligations.