Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the establishmen
t of the country is with the government since 2008, adding that Pakistan army supports the democracy in the country.
He said that the drone attacks are the violation of the sovereignty
of the country, adding that the US should respect the sovereignty of
Pakistan, adding that the drone attacks are counter productive and
harming the efforts of Pakistan in war against terrorism.
This he said while talking to media persons alongside Chief of the
Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani after addressing the
concluding ceremony of the seminar on deradiclization in Swat here on
Wednesday.
Prime Minister Gilani addressing the seminar reaffirmed Pakistan’s
resolve to take the campaign against terrorism to its logical end,
adding that war against extremism and terrorism is a matter of national
survival for US and Pakistan shares global concerns about extremism,
militancy and terrorism
The prime minister however made it clear that sovereignty and self
respect of Pakistan must be respected in the war against terrorism. He
said drone attacks inside our borders are in conflict with the ground
realities and adversely impacting to check radical trends and
militancy.
The prime minister said that Pakistan’s armed forces and the people
have rendered great sacrifices in the war against terrorism and our
efforts in political and military domain need recognition at the
international level. There is need to bridge trust deficit and allow
Pakistan to contribute without international pressure.
He said our counter terrorism is strategy is home grown and
indigenous in character and base. We are following a four D strategy
that is dialogue, deterrence, development and defeating the terrorists
mindset and ideology.
He said Pakistan has come a long way since 9/11 and the government
galvanized public support against terrorism and gave political
ownership to it. Law enforcement operations are a success story in
arresting militancy.
He said inline with our national interest, we are working with
global partners to fight terrorists and we will not allow our soil to
be used against terrorism against any other country.
Prime Minister Gilani said the country is facing multidimensional
challenges both at external and internal levels. The challenge of
radicalization and terrorism is complex and a barrier to our common
goal of peace and stability.
He said that elimination of radical threat in Swat is a significant
success. It includes return and rehabilitation 2.4 million internally
displaced persons in a record time. He said we have banned
organizations that fomented terrorism and sectarianism in the society.
Efforts of intelligence agencies have led to arrests of hundreds of
Al-Qaeda operatives and leaders.
He said a national counter terrorism authority has been created to
create a database of terrorists and organizations and coordinate
information between the federal and provincial organizations. The
process of deradicalization of reconcilable detainees alone can not pay
dividends unless hardcore terrorsits are awarded exemplary punishment
through the judicial process.
He said the government has taken concrete steps to enhance capacity
of law enforcement agencies to check the menace of terrorism.
Turning to Afghanistan, the prime minister said that stable, united,
friendly and peaceful Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interests. Pakistan
want an independent Afghanistan without any external influence.
About relations with India, Prime Minister Gilani said India is an
important neighbor and Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues
with it including the core dispute of Kashmir through negotiations. He
hoped the the on going process of comprehensive engagement would be
result oriented.
He said India will have to play a more accommodating role and
respond to Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns. India will not find
Pakistan lacking in will to write a new chapter in our bilateral
relations. SANA
