News
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Pakistan, Britain need to work closely against terror: Zardari
* British delegation meets president, PM
* Gilani expresses satisfaction over launching of Enhanced Strategic ialogue between Pakistan, UK
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Britain and Pakistan need to work closely to further enhance their partnership in diverse areas, mainly in trade, investment and education with a view to eliminate terrorism from Pakistan and promote peace and security of the region and the world, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday.
He said this while talking to a British delegation led by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Alistair Burt, which called on him at the Presidency. Briefing the media, spokesperson to the president, Farhatullah Babar, said that matters relating to Pak-UK bilateral cooperation, strategic dialogue, fight against terrorism, trade and economic cooperation and regional issues were discussed during the meeting.
The situation arising out of the Abbottabad operation was also discussed during the meeting, he added. The president said that Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices, both human and material than any other country in the fight against terrorism. He said that the government and the people of Pakistan appreciate Britain’s acknowledgement of Pakistan’s counter terrorism efforts.
Zardari, however, emphasised on trade, not aid, to create job opportunities for the youth of the country and said that 65 percent of the country’s population comprised of youth who were looking for jobs opportunities, which had been diminished by the war on terror.
The president said that he was asking the world community to help Pakistan build its shattered economy through opportunities for greater trade and market access and not just aid. Babar said that Zardari, while highlighting the significance of the Pak-UK strategic dialogue, said that the dialogue covering important aspects of our relations would further strengthen the cooperative partnership between the two countries.
Separately, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani expressed his satisfaction over the launching of the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and UK during Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to Islamabad in April. He nevertheless called for early progress in the agreed fields under the dialogue framework through institutionalisation of cooperation by utilising the existing bilateral consultation.
The prime minister said this while talking to the UK delegation, which called on him at the Prime Minister’s House.
Gilani appreciated the UK government and its civil society’s assistance to Pakistan in the aftermath of the earthquake of 2005 and last year’s floods as well as for the rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons of Malakand and Swat.
He hoped that the UK government would remain engaged with Pakistan in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood affected areas.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk