Pakistan Prime Minister claims support of US, wants more

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday said the frequent visits by US Congressional delegations to Pakistan is reflective of the United States’ support for the newly elected government in the country.

He was talking to a four-member US Congressional delegation led by Ms. Gene Green that called on him here at the Prime Minister House this morning. The Prime Minister said Pakistan wants to deepen and enhance its strategic relationship with the US in all fields especially in trade, investment and energy sectors. He said that increased cooperation in education, science and technology and cultural fields will also help develop people to people contacts.

The Prime Minister said that there is also need to enhance cooperation in counter terrorism efforts by exchange of information and sharing intelligence so as to enable Pakistan to take timely and prompt action against the terrorists. He said that supply of sophisticated intelligence assets to Pakistan will enhance Pakistan’s capacity to take action against the terrorists on its own soil. The Prime Minister thanked the delegation for US Congress’s keen interest, support and efforts in return of democracy in Pakistan.

He told the delegation that democratic and progressive forces have formed governments at the federal and provincial levels including NWFP and Balochistan after emerging victorious in the elections. The Prime Minister said that the people of Pakistan have given the coalition government the mandate to effectively tackle with the pressing issues of economic poverty and the threat of terrorism and extremism being faced by the country. He said his government has already taken concrete steps to pave the way for the restoration of deposed judges first by freeing them and paying their salaries and then by increasing the strength of the Supreme Court from 16 to 29.

The Prime Minister said that as soon the modalities are sorted out, the judges will be restored through a constitutional package. He said that his government in consultation with its coalition partners has adopted a three-pronged strategy to fight terrorism by entering into political dialogue with those elements who have renounced terrorism by laying down arms, accelerating the pace of economic development in the country especially in tribal areas and resorting to military means only if the agreements are violated.

Pakistan would never negotiate with militants or terrorists and allow its soil to be used by foreigners against another country, the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Gilani told the delegation that being an immediate neighbour of Afghanistan, Pakistan has vital interest and direct stake in stability and peace in Afghanistan. Without stability in the region, its vast potential of economic development and cooperation will remain untapped and unrealized, he pointed out. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is making all out efforts to prevent cross border infiltration by installing biometric system on entry points and establishing 900 checkposts on the border compared to the 100 checkposts on the Afghan side of the border which needs to be increased at least to Pakistan’s level.

He said that fencing of the border is another option being considered by the government. The Prime Minister said he is for greater interaction and political dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan so that the two countries can coordinate their strategies to face the common threats. He said the repatriation and resettlement of three million Afghan refugees in Afghanistan will also help reduce illegal movements on the border. The international community needs to come forward to help resettle the refugees in their homeland, he added.

The Prime Minister said that elimination of poppy from Pakistan was achieved through providing economic alternatives to the people. He said that today 70% of poppy is produced in Afghanistan. The same strategy needs to be adopted there to wean people away from extremism, he added. The Prime Minister said reviving the economy, restoring law and order and security are the main priorities of his government. He said it is not often realized that a single incident of terrorism in Pakistan leads to flight of foreign capital from the country besides discouraging the flow of foreign investment.

Similarly, it was a terrorist act that claimed the life of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, the Prime Minister said and added Pakistan is therefore fighting terrorism and extremism in its own national interest and for the humanity at large and not to serve the objectives of another country. The Prime Minister said that setting up of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in tribal areas can go a long way in reviving economic activity and generating employment for the people by providing assured access to US markets for the products produced in the designated areas.

The delegation congratulated the Prime Minister on the induction of democratic government in Pakistan, which they said would strengthen the partnership between the two countries. They said Congress would extend full support to democratic government in all fields. The members of the delegation included Mike McCaul, Republican Texas, Henry Cuellar, Democrat Texas and Ms. Anne W. Patterson, US Ambassador in Pakistan. The meeting was also attended by Mahmud Ali Durrani, Advisor on National Security, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Special Advisor to Prime Minister and Ms Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Special Advisor to Prime Minister.