ISLAMABAD, April 10: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday jointly presided over a meeting of the heads of the coalition parties and discussed security and foreign policy-related issues with particular reference to the president’s recent visit to India and new terms of engagement with the US.

The meeting took place hours after the announcement by the head of the all-party Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) Raza Rabbani that the committee had prepared a preliminary report with certain amendments in its earlier recommendations on the issue of resumption of Nato supply.

According to Presidential Spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar, President Zardari briefed the participants on his visit to India and his luncheon meeting with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on way to Ajmer Sharif on Sunday.

The coalition partners congratulated the president on his visit to India and termed it a good omen for peace in the region.  The meeting expressed grave concerns over the Pakistani troops and civilians trapped under an avalanche in Siachen and prayed for their safety. The meeting lauded the services and sacrifices of the soldiers.

The meeting also reviewed current political situation and coalition matters.

The spokesman said the ongoing discussions in the joint sitting of the Parliament on the PCNS report about the contours of foreign policy also came under discussion.

The meeting was attended by PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan, PML-Q Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, ANP Senator Afrasiab Khattak, Parliamentary Leader of the MQM in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar and Senator Babar Ghauri, and Fata legislators Noorul Haq Qadri and Senator Abbas Khan Afridi.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman were also present in the meeting.

Both the president and the prime minister had presided over similar meetings last month as well in which the military leadership had also participated.