COAS to give national security briefing to Senate committee

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will brief the Senate Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday (December 19).

The committee will begin its meeting at 10 AM and according to a notice, the COAS and DG Military Operations would brief members on the emerging national security paradigm for Pakistan with respect to recent visits and developments.

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.’

The 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.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently said he does not enjoy the task of dealing with countries like Pakistan and North Korea. He also said that relations with Pakistan, which he termed an important and valued partner, had drifted and had to be brought back to one of common interest.

Tillerson had visited Pakistan in October and held meetings with the country’s top political and military leadership.

Pakistan also strongly condemned Trump’s recent decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.