Islamabad:
Pakistani lawmakers gathered today for an in-camera joint session of both house of Parliament that will be briefed by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on the US raid in Abbottabad that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met leaders of parties allied to his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to forge a strategy for the joint session of the Senate and National Assembly.
Following a two-hour briefing by the top military and intelligence officials, the lawmakers will be given an opportunity to ask questions about the US raid that killed that the world's most wanted terrorist in a compound located a short distance from the Pakistan Military Academy.
Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had demanded that part of the joint session should be open to the media to ensure neutrality and transparency.
However, a meeting of the House Business Advisory Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi was unable to evolve consensus on this issue.
The "Red Zone", an area in the heart of Islamabad that is home to important buildings like the parliament, presidency and Prime Minister's House, was sealed off hours before the meeting.
Security across Pakistan, already on high alert, was further enhanced after two suicide bombers struck a paramilitary training facility this morning and killed 80 people.
The military and the government have been faced with embarrassing questions after the US raid against bin Laden brought to light the fact that he had been living for years in a garrison city that is home to thousands of soldiers and several key military institutions.
The US administration has stepped up pressure on Pakistan to probe allegations of complicity or incompetence following the security establishment's failure to detect bin Laden's presence.
A meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, the country's highest decision-making body on security issues, yesterday warned that Pakistan would review counter-terrorism cooperation with the US in the wake of the covert operation in Abbottabad.
Pakistan's civilian government has been criticised by sections of the media and the public for its failure to act against the powerful military for its perceived failure to detect bin Laden as well as the raid by US Special Forces.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met leaders of parties allied to his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to forge a strategy for the joint session of the Senate and National Assembly.
Following a two-hour briefing by the top military and intelligence officials, the lawmakers will be given an opportunity to ask questions about the US raid that killed that the world's most wanted terrorist in a compound located a short distance from the Pakistan Military Academy.
Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had demanded that part of the joint session should be open to the media to ensure neutrality and transparency.
However, a meeting of the House Business Advisory Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi was unable to evolve consensus on this issue.
The "Red Zone", an area in the heart of Islamabad that is home to important buildings like the parliament, presidency and Prime Minister's House, was sealed off hours before the meeting.
Security across Pakistan, already on high alert, was further enhanced after two suicide bombers struck a paramilitary training facility this morning and killed 80 people.
The military and the government have been faced with embarrassing questions after the US raid against bin Laden brought to light the fact that he had been living for years in a garrison city that is home to thousands of soldiers and several key military institutions.
The US administration has stepped up pressure on Pakistan to probe allegations of complicity or incompetence following the security establishment's failure to detect bin Laden's presence.
A meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, the country's highest decision-making body on security issues, yesterday warned that Pakistan would review counter-terrorism cooperation with the US in the wake of the covert operation in Abbottabad.
Pakistan's civilian government has been criticised by sections of the media and the public for its failure to act against the powerful military for its perceived failure to detect bin Laden as well as the raid by US Special Forces.
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