Pakistan remains committed to fight against terrorism

       
ISLAMABAD Nov 11 (APP) -Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan despite the catastrophe caused by the floods and ensuing economic hardships, remains committed to fighting against extremism and terrorism. However, Pakistan’s decisions in this regard, he added, would be determined by its overall national interests, priorities, resources and capacity.  Pakistan, he said, did not believe in the mis-nomer of good or bad terrorists and has moved against all the terror networks and militants without any discrimination. 
The Prime Minister was talking to US Congressional delegation led by Senator John McCain who called on him here at PM’s House on  Thursday.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan cannot be blamed for providing the safe haven to terrorists when they are believed to cross over into Afghanistan in the presence of Allied Forces to carry out their nefarious activities and return safely to their so- called sancturies. 
The Prime Minister also pointed out that contrary to the accusation against Pakistan, Afghan Taliban were crossing over into Pakistan for terrorist acts despite deployment of NATO and Allied Forces on Pak-Afghan border. 
He reminded the US Senators that the world had forgotten the presence of 3.5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and the fact that more than 50,000 people cross Pakistan-Afghan border every day.
He said Pakistan’s repeated requests for the introduction of Biometric System
and establishment of check posts on the border, have failed to elicit a positive response from the Allied Forces and the Afghan Government. Resultantly, the movement of undesirable elements in the guise of ordinary people and Afghan refugees across the border continues unabated. 
He hoped that Pakistan’s proposal in this regard and for shifting of Afghan refugees back to their homeland would be given serious consideration by the US and the world at large which he said can drastically reduce the incidence of terror on both sides of the border.
The Prime Minister stated that instead of indulging in blame games, the allied countries particularly the US should deliver on its long standing commitment to build the capacity of Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies; provide the requisite equipment and technology to Pakistan’s armed forces and share actionable and real time intelligence with Pakistan to enable it to defeat the common enemy. 
The Prime Minister termed illiteracy, poverty and under-development as the root causes of extremism and terrorism and urged the US administration and Congress to help Pakistan address these fundamental issues for rooting out these menaces. 
The Prime Minister thanked the US for its assistance and support in flood relief efforts and hoped that US Congress would help in expeditious passage of legislations for Multi Year Military Assistance Package, ROZ and establishment of Enterprise Fund for Pakistan to help his government over-ride its present economic difficulties. 
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan has an abiding interest in a stable, unified and prosperous Afghanistan and believes in complete neutrality and non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. 
He informed the US Senators that he had accepted Afghan President’s invitation for his first official visit to Kabul and looks forward to continue to work closely with the Afghan Government and the international community to promote sustained peace and development in Afghanistan. 
Pakistan, he said, supported Afghan led efforts for reconciliation and reintegration in that country and was ready to cooperate with Afghan Government for the capacity building of its Army, Police and bureaucracy as well as building of Afghan institutions.
The Prime Minister apprised the US Senators of his government’s agenda and commitment to introduce economic reforms in the country particularly to expand the tax base and generate local resources for the Pakistan’s socio-economic development needs. 
He said that these economic plans and the national strategy for rehabilitation and reconstructions of flood affected areas would be shared with Pakistan’s development partners in the forthcoming PDF meeting later this week.
The US Senators stated that Pakistan and US have been partners for over six decades, on the same side of the history and they would like to further strengthen this partnership even in the future.
They commended the Prime Minister’s leadership in building the national consensus and carrying all the stakeholders along in the war against terror and taking difficult economic decisions at this critical juncture.  They acknowledged the fact that given Pakistan’s present economic situation, introduction of Reformed GST and expanding the national tax base was a difficult but laudable decision.
They nonetheless said that these decisions will make their task easier in the US Congress to provide required urgent assistance to Pakistan. The US Senators also called for the enhanced cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education, women empowerment and social sector development.
Other members of US Congressional delegation include Senator  Joseph Lieberman, Senator Lindsey O. Graham, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
The US Ambassador Mr Cameron Munter, Minister for Defence Ch Ahmed Mukhtar, Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Interior Senator A Rehman Malik, Senator Syeda Sughra Imam, Secretary Defence and other senior officers also attended the meeting.