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Friday, September 21, 2012
World should support Pakistan in fighting terrorism: RajaBEIJING: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Thursday he hoped that the international community would give Pakistan greater recognition and support for its contribution to the war on terrorism.
The prime minister made these remarks in an interview with China’s prominent English language daily Global Times, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Tianjin.
Raja said terrorism is a “menace” to regional and global peace and security, stressing that it is the collective responsibility of all nations to fight against it.
“Pakistan is on the frontline of the war on terrorism. We paid a heavy price in the war and the international community should recognise our sacrifices and support us,” he said. Islamabad is also eyeing closer anti-terrorism cooperation with China, Raja said. “The China-Pakistan relationship is always a diplomatic priority for Pakistan. Our friendship is time-tested and is based upon our two people’s love and affection for each other,” the prime minister said.
He added his country’s recent decision to reopen the NATO supply route through Pakistan is the latest sign of its willingness to facilitate regional anti-terrorism efforts. Pakistan closed the supply line to protest the killing of two dozen soldiers in airstrikes last November.
“The US accepted that the strike was a mistake and felt sorry for it. We reopened the line without any other condition because we know this is for the interest of peace and stability of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the whole region,” he said.
Raja said that when NATO forces pull their troops out of Afghanistan by 2014, they would use the same route.
“We do not want to be seen as a hindrance. We want to be seen as being on the right side of history, cooperating with the international community,” he said, adding that regional peace and stability after NATO’s withdrawal mainly depended on the process being led by Afghans. “I went to Afghanistan last month and met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, as well as different parties and their leaders. I have come to the conclusion that Afghanistan’s internal dialogue is the only path for peace and stability,” he said.
“Pakistan wants to be a facilitator in this process because we understand that peace and stability in Afghanistan means peace and stability in Pakistan,” he said. appCourtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk