Rattled by a string of suicide bombings, Pakistani lawmakers will receive a rare briefing by top military and intelligence brass on the security situation during a special joint session of Parliament tomorrow as part of the government's efforts to evolve a "home-grown" anti-terror policy to take the militancy "head-on".
The move is the latest step by the PPP-led government to combat terrorism following a wave of terror attacks across the country that have claimed hundreds of lives and battered the economy.
President Asif Ali Zardari convened the session after consultations with Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the Director General-designate of the ISI, will brief members of the National Assembly and Senate during the in-camera joint session that will get underway at 5 pm tomorrow.
Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other top military and security officials are also expected to attend the session.
Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the session has been convened at a time when Pakistan is facing a "critical situation".
"The basic purpose of this meeting is to take all the parliamentarians and political parties on board with a view to formulating a home-grown anti-terror policy because we really have reached a point where the fight (against terrorism) has to be fought by the whole nation, by all political parties and all elements of civil society.
"The war is now too serious to be left alone to the security apparatus or the intelligence agencies," Babar said.