Pakistan Army's corps commanders would meet in Islamabad on Friday to discuss the forthcoming summit meeting between military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Officials and diplomats in Islamabad attach a great deal of significance to this otherwise routine meeting as it is the first to take place after India invited Musharraf to visit New Delhi for a summit meeting with Vajapyee.
To be presided over by Musharraf, the meeting is expected to discuss the reasons that prompted India to extend a sudden invitation to the Pakistan military ruler and its implications on Kashmir issue besides a broad agenda to be taken up during the summit meeting, official sources said.
Pakistan-based Islamic miitant groups against Musharraf's visit to New Delhi is also expected to figure in the meeting, which has emerged as a prinicipal policy making body of the military government after the October 1999 coup.
Officials considered the timing of the meeting ideal as the preparations for the summit meeting were yet to begin in view of Vajpayee's knee operation on Thursday.
With the dates, format and the agenda yet to be discussed and finalised between both the countries, the corps commanders were expected to indicate broad guidelines specially the parametres in which the kashmir issue should be discussed. Bureau Report