ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Saturday briefed Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on the prevailing security environment in South Waziristan Agency saying it was the repositioning of troops and not the withdrawal, taking place there.

The briefing held at the Prime Minister House and attended by Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, DG ISI Nadeem Taj and senior army officers.

The COAS informed the prime minister that the army was not withdrawing from South Waziristan Agency (SWA), it was only consolidating its position after a long operation in the area. Not even one battalion has been withdrawn and no negotiations are being held with any terrorist or criminal.

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani speaking on the occasion said the people of the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (Fata) were highly patriotic, peace loving and the government would make all out efforts to alleviate their hardships and problems.

Gilani appreciated the efforts of the army in improving the security situation in the agency enabling the displaced people of the area to return to their homes and villages. The prime minister also directed all concerned government agencies to coordinate with each other in bringing normalcy to the area and observed that the government was working on an integrated strategy with the army on repatriating all peaceful residents of the area to their homes.


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