News
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Pakistan supports military actions against terrorists* PM says all political forces in Pakistan including parliament are on one page against terrorism
* Relations with US moving in right direction; need greater cooperation
PERTH: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan supports military actions against terrorists and extremists to safeguard its own interest and for global peace.
“We are supporting military action against terrorists and extremists. The terrorists are working against the interest of my country and we are fighting for the peace, prosperity and progress of the entire world,” Gilani said in an interview with ABC News’ political correspondent Lyndal Curtis in Perth before leaving for home.
Prime Minister Gilani said as a frontline state, Pakistan paid a huge price not only in the form of casualties but also in the shape of weakening national economy. He said he had got the Pakistani nation united against the fight against terrorism. “Nobody can win a war without the support of masses. All the political forces [in Pakistan] including the parliament are on one page,” he said. He mentioned that the casualties by NATO forces combined were much less in number than Pakistan alone.
He condemned the recent incident of death of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan and added that he condemned every incident of terrorism in its all forms and manifestation. Gilani said Pakistan was vigilant about the cross-border movement and was interested in placing an authentic biometrics system at the border with Afghanistan. He said there existed an “excellent cooperation” on defence and intelligence both with the United States and Australia.
“We further need to have a greater cooperation between the US, Afghanistan and the ISAF. We have to work together so as to fight this common enemy,” he said. The prime minister stressed that Pakistan has the resolve and ability to fight against terrorism. “At times we need capacity building and for that we want the world to support us,” he said adding, “We are lucky that the entire nation is united and they have the resolve and ability to fight against terrorism and extremism.”
“But at the same time, we must understand our ground realities. Therefore we need a greater cooperation with the United States. And our relations with the United States are moving in the right direction,” he observed. Responding to a question whether the United States through the drone attacks and some of the reports it is putting out is actually making difficult Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, Gilani said, “Yes that is creating less space for us.” The prime minister said Pakistan is a responsible nation and a nuclear power. “We have to act very gracefully and we have to act very consciously and we are using all our channels and all our friends,” he said. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk