ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s all political parties held an emergency meeting here yesterday and took a united stand to express solidarity with the government in its stance in the face of terror attack in Mumbai and India’s reaction to it.

Leaders of all political parties gathered at the prime minister’s house and came out with a unanimous decision after a marathon meeting that there should be complete unity among political parties but urged India to refrain from exercising coercive diplomatic actions.

Talking to reporters, former federal minister and head of Awami Muslim League, Sheikh Rashid, said “the present government’s offer was very pragmatic that both India and Pakistan should chase those elements which are out to disrupt regional peace instead of pointing fingers.”

He said India made a demand of certain individuals like it did in 2002 when Indian Parliament was attacked. The names like Maulana Masood Azhar, Daud Ibrahim and some other underground criminals were listed. Same people have been demanded by the Indian government.” He said “some of these people are not present in Pakistan.”

An official source told Arab News that the political leadership of Pakistan firmly opposed the visit to India by the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) at this juncture. Information Minister Sherry Rehman told reporters “we will review the list of people which India is sending to us.”

The leaders who attended the meeting included Nawaz Sharif, Mustafa Jatoi, Mahmud Khan Achakzai, Qazi Husain Ahmed Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Shahbaz Sharif, Shahid Bugti, Imran Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Farooq Sattar, Maulana Samiul Haq, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Aftab Khan Sherpao, and several parliamentarians and politicians from many regional parties.

Before a resolution was drafted, an official source said, “political leaders were of the view that both Pakistan and India must review the situation seriously and make joint efforts to track down terrorist organizations.”

In view of the growing tension following Mumbai’s terrorist attacks Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani yesterday convened a National Security meeting with politicians of all political parties.

The prime minister had summoned the conference on national security on Sunday with a view to creating “political consensus” on the situation.

In his telephonic conversation with the leaders of various political parties, the prime minister received all-out support to meet the situation.