Islamabad; May 15, The Dialogue Group on Civil-Military Relations convened by PILDAT met here today. The Group held comprehensive and candid discussion, among other issues, on Supreme Court Judgment convicting the Prime Minister and the resultant political scenario. The Group also discussed the address by the Chief of Army Staff at the Martyrs Day Ceremony.

The Group agreed that in a period in which Pakistan faces a virtual war-like situation with internal terrorism and external volatility compounded by severe economic challenges, infrastructure deficiencies and political discord, it is critical that all citizens and institutions, civil and military, ensure the stability and continued functioning of the democratic system without resort to threats, extremism and violations.

The members who joined the meeting included Mr. Omar Khan Afridi, Former Federal Minister, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Abdul Qadir Baloch, MNA, (NA 271, Kharan-cum-Panjgur, PML N), Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Arif Bangash, Former Governor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Humayun Bangash, Former Ambassador, Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Shahzad Chaudhry, Columnist, former Ambassador, Lt Gen (Retd.) Moinuddin Haider, Former Governor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Asad Durrani, Former DG ISI, MI, Mr. Shahid Hamid, Former Governor, Dr. Parvez Hassan, Advocate Supreme Court, Gen. (Retd.) Ehsan ul Haq, Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Mr. Javed Jabbar, Former Senator & Federal Minister for Information & Media Development, Mr. Shafqat Mahmood, Former Senator and Minister, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Talat Masood, Former Federal Secretary, Vice Admiral (Retd) Khalid Mir, Former Ambassador, Mr. Rustam Shah Mohmand, Former Chief Secretary, Mr. Tasneem Noorani, Former Federal Secretary, Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi, Political & Defence Analyst, Mr. Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami, Editor-in-Chief, Daily Pakistan, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director, PILDAT and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director, PILDAT.