Zardari meets army chief, Gilani ahead of India visit

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Saturday night for preparatory discussions regarding his visit to India, including the case of JuD chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed.

Official sources said the USD 10 million US bounty for Saeed necessitated the late night meeting of the top civil and military leadership at the Governor's House in Lahore.

Zardari is visiting India on Sunday for a day-long visit that has primarily been billed as a personal one for paying obeisance at the Sufi dargah at Ajmer, but will also see him having a lunch meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani were also present at the meeting.

Sources at Governor's House told PTI that the president took the army chief and prime minister into confidence over his visit to India.

Presidential spokesman Faratullah Babar said the security situation was discussed during the meeting.

Babar said the president held a separate meeting with the prime minister and army chief and discussed the search and rescue operation to save the lives of at least 100 soldiers trapped in the snow after an avalanche hit Siachen on Saturday morning.

Expressing grave concern over the incident, Zardari emphasised that all resources should be employed in the search and rescue operation.