News
Monday, September 05, 2011
Pakistan committed to fighting terrorism: Firdaus* Information minister condemns terrorist act by ETIM in Kashgar
* Says media should help promote softer image of Pakistan
BEIJING: Federal Information Minister Firdaus Ashiq Awan said on Sunday that Pakistan was committed to fighting terrorism and always supported steps to ensure peace and stability in the region.
In an interview with the Chinese media after attending the China-Eurasia Forum, Dr Awan said that China and Pakistan were working in close coordination for peace in the region and that both countries had a mechanism in place for intelligence-sharing to stamp out the scourge of terrorism and extremism.
Condemning the action of the banned East Turkestan Islamic Movement in Kashgar, the information minister said that the foreign ministries of both the countries had already issued statements in this regard.
“They (terrorists) keep on changing their strategies and actions,” Dr Awan said. “We must work in close collaboration and also change our actions, and that can only be done through close coordination and mutual understanding,” she observed.
Dr Awan said that with better-coordinated efforts, they could curtail terrorism, adding that China was already helping them. She pointed out that a peaceful atmosphere in Pakistan was a prerequisite for stability in the region.
To a question about Pakistan and American relations, Dr Awan said, “Some communication gap was created due to Bin Ladin’s issue.”
“But with time those relations are moving forward, and keeping in mind our national interests, there is no deadlock between us,” she added.
She said that the winning the war on terror was not only in the interest of the US and other parts of the world, it was also in the interest of Pakistan. She said that Pakistan wanted to protect its people as well as the world, but “not at the cost of our own security.” “We have our own priorities,” she said, adding, “We do not get dictations from other countries”. “The international community, including the US, must respect the sacrifices that Pakistan has made,” Dr Awan said. “We want recognition for those sacrifices.”
“Islam has nothing to do with bloodshed. It is against extremism and terrorism,” she said, adding that the media should help improve the image of Pakistan and dispel any misperception about it.
The information minister said that strengthening of people-to-people contact between Pakistan and China was very important and that the media of both the sides could play a pivotal role in deepening the bond.
Dr Awan said that they had taken various initiatives engaging media organisations of the two countries adding that a high-level official delegation from her country had already visited China and held meetings with top Chinese officials.
The minister pointed out that Pakistan and China were already exchanging media delegations on a reciprocal basis and recently both sides sent delegations to each other’s countries.
The information minister said that the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) was planning on formulating a specific segment of news-sharing in Chinese language, adding that they were in talk to give landing rights to CCTV as had been given to international electronic media outlets.
The minister said that they were also examining how Chinese and Pakistani programmes, including drama, documentaries, arts and culture, as well as youth programmes, could be telecast in each other’s countries. She said that they wanted deep interaction between Radio Pakistan and China Radio International (CRI).
She said that Pakistan was seeking help from the Chinese government in establishing a media university where training could be imparted to media professionals in various fields.
Dr Awan said that she enjoyed the reception at Urumqi and was glad about the cordial feelings towards Pakistan. At the expo, she held meaningful exchanges with China and other delegates. She exchanged views on the ways the “media can be one of the marketing tools to promote bilateral economic ties and create investment opportunities”.
At the forum, it was informed that Xinjiang now had only one cross-border railway, the 460-km line that connects Urumqi to Kazakhstan’s rail through the Alataw Pass. A second China-Kazakhstan rail line is being constructed to link Xinjiang’s trading port Horgos to the inland rail network. Pakistani officials have also proposed constructing a cross-border railway to link its northern border with Kashgar, an old Silk Road town and today’s major city in southern Xinjiang. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk