KARACHI: Amid allegations by the USA linking ISI to attacks on its
forces by the Haqqani network, Premier Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday
said the Obama administration should increase contacts with Pakistan to
remove “misunderstandings” if it wished to retain Islamabad as a
strategic ally.
Referring to the allegations by US officials,
PM Gilani talking to reporters after attending the inauguration
ceremony of Berths of Karachi Port said the message emanating from
Washington seemed to be “they can’t live with us, they can’t live
without us.”
“So, I will say to them that when they can’t live
without us, they should increase contacts to end misunderstandings with
us” related to war on terrorism, he told reporters on the sidelines of
a function in the southern port city of Karachi.
“If the
relations with the USA are on the basis of mutual respect and mutual
interest, and if there is such wrong messaging, then it is difficult to
convince our people. I would ask America to leave political space for
us so that we can convey their importance to the people,” he said.
PM
contended that Pakistan was not “isolated in our relations” with the
world community. “We have good relations with the whole world. In our
region, we have relations and we have good relations with our
neighbours,” he said.
Earlier addressing the ceremony he said
the construction and operation of berths at Karachi Port will help
boost the regional economy and Karachi’s position as a shipping hub of
the nation.
These facilities will, undoubtedly, attract additional shipping carrying thousands of tons of cargo.
He
said Pakistan is in the grip of a multitude of complex issues, which
have been aggravated by the floods in the province of Sindh and each
one of us needs to rise above ourselves and help our brothers, sisters
and children affected by this national calamity.
He lauded the
efforts of the ports of Pakistan in general and the Karachi Port in
particular that received and continues to receive and dispatch the
relief goods sent by the international donors and overseas Pakistanis. Online
