Pakistan to share its counter-terrorism policy with US: Gilani
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said Saturday that Pakistan will share its counter? terrorism policy with the United States administration during the forthcoming talks next month. He was responding to a question at a press conference at the Chief Minister House here after presiding over a special session of Sindh Cabinet.
Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat?ul? Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah were also present on the occasion. The PM said it was a wrong impression that Pakistan does not have its policy on war on terror. “Our policy is ready,” he said adding that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will visit the United States in the first week of next month to share this policy with the American administration.
PM’s Advisor on Interior Affairs, DG ISI and other relevant officials of law enforcement will accompany the foreign minister. President Asif Ali Zardari might also visit US in this regard, he said. To a question, he said the government wants to have good relations with neighbours including Iran, Afghanistan and India.
Relations with India had been improving till the Mumbai incident that affected them negatively. “We need to start confidence building measures (CBMs) afresh with India. However, it will take some time,” he said. To a question regarding the demands of Sindh in the context of National Finance Commission (NFC), he said that he will consult with the Advisor on Finance who was on a visit to Japan and China with President Asif Ali Zardari.
He said that Nizam-e-Adl accord was linked with restoration of peace in Swat. If there is peace in Swat, the accord will remain intact, he added.The PM said that government functionaries including Secretary Interior and IG NWFP had visited bazars in Swat on Friday and met with people. However, there was still room for improvement, he added.
Replying to a question about the development projects being built in Sindh, the Prime Minister said these constituted top priority of the federal government. He said “We will support these projects and complete them.” He said “extremism, terrorism, talibanisation posed a threat to the country and we have to jointly fight against them”.
He said the government was pursuing a policy of reconciliation. We have a three? pronged policy and that included dialogue, development and deterrence. The government will talk to only those who lay down their arms and and are ready to hold dialogue.
Gilani said Pakistan has prepared its own policy to deal with terrorism and we take our decision according to this policy which is based on ground realities, traditions, customs, self respect, honour, dignity and sovereignty .
We are trying to convince the United States and we hope we will be able to convince them . They know that Pakistan is the victim of terrorism, he observed. The Prime Minister said that his party was taking along two different ideological parties MQM and ANP as coalition partners and it was his effort to defuse the situation.
To a question about Sindh government’s performance, he said it was satisfactory during the last one year. He said that Ms Sherry Rehman and Senator Raza Rabbani are an asset for the party and their help is being sought on various important matters. Gilani said that people had voted for a change in February elections and PPP was on the path of democracy and politics of reconciliation to bring in economic stability. We need to show political maturity, he said.
To a question, he said all the chief ministers have been invited to submit their point of view regarding new education policy. He also announced to raise the salaries of police staff in Sindh in accordance with the raise in Punjab police. Responding to a question about two systems of justice, the Prime Minister said the people of Northern Areas have different traditions. Swat was the last to announce its accesion to Pakistan in 1969.
We will not touch their customs. We respect their heritage which is a speedy justice. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had also allowed their system of justice in 1994 and former president Musharraf in 1999. Gilani made it clear that no law in Pakistan was repugnant to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.-APP
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