News
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Now US turn to ‘do more’: Gilani* PM says Pakistan has already contributed enormously in fight against terrorism and extremism
* Islamabad should not be pressurised to do more
* MQM resignations not accepted so far
* Mainstreaming Balochs will rectify sense of deprivation
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday said that Pakistan had already contributed enormously in fight against terrorism and extremism, and it was now the United States turn to “do more”.
“Now it’s the time that they [United States] should do more,” the prime minister told reporters after attending a ceremony at a girls’ college.
The prime minister said that Pakistan had sacrificed much in battling the menace of terrorism during the last decade, and that Islamabad should not be pressurised to do more.
About the reason to call off his upcoming visit to New York to attend the session of UN General Assembly, Gilani said he wanted to supervise the relief efforts in Sindh, adding that the parliamentarians were also busy in supplementing the relief work in the affected areas.
About the status of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with the government, the prime minister said their resignations had not been accepted so far.
When asked about the arrest of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) chief Bashir Qureshi, the prime minister said he could assure that there was no political prisoner in the country.
He said that the development and prosperity of Balochistan was the government’s top priority and vowed to include Baloch people in national mainstream to end their sense of deprivation.
Gilani said that his government was concerned about alleviating the sense of deprivation among the Baloch people by providing them their due rights.
He mentioned the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package which guaranteed the prosperity of the province by bringing it at par with developed areas of the country.
Separately, speaking at a dinner hosted by him at the Prime Minister’s House, Gilani said that the PML-Q parliamentarians should consider themselves part of the government.
He said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the PML-Q would work together to overcome the challenges of terrorism, energy shortages and floods.
Punjab Governor Latif Khosa, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain, Senior Minister Pervaiz Elahi and Mushahid Hussain attended the dinner. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk