 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
 |
 |
|
| PM seeks US role in resolving disputes with India |
|
|
|
Friday, June 26, 2009
Zardari wants drone technology; Gen Jones assures US help in India-related issues
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: US National Security Adviser Gen (retd) James Jones, on a visit to Pakistan, held separate meetings on Thursday with President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
In his talks with the US adviser, President Zardari asked the United States to provide drone technology to Pakistan to shore up its indigenous counterterrorism operational capacity. The president said Pakistan needed much more assistance to rehabilitate the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and embark upon a massive socioeconomic development programme of the area to banish poverty and thereby the exploitative forces of militancy. Zardari said he was looking forward to the early materialisation of the building of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) to help build the underdeveloped areas economically and provide jobs to the people. He also asked for international assistance to meet energy challenges.
The president also thanked the United States administration for its efforts in the adoption of the Kerry-Lugar Bill to provide $1.5 billion of annual assistance to Pakistan over a period of five years.
Jones complimented the president for launching an effective operation against militants. He said it was particularly helpful that the war against militancy was broad-based and had public and political support.
US Ambassador Anne W Patterson and senior officers of the National Security Agency of the US participated in the meeting. Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Senator Sughra Imam, MNA and senior officials were also present.
In his meeting with US National Security Adviser General James Jones, Prime Minister Gilani called upon the world at large and the US in particular to play their role for the resolution of the core issue of Kashmir as well as the water issue between Pakistan and India, as it would help Islamabad focus on fighting extremism and terrorism on its western border to ensure peace and stability in South Asia.
The prime minister also called for stopping drone attacks in order to ensure success of Pakistan’s strategy of isolating militants.
Underlining the fact that Pakistan’s strong anti-terrorist action was the reflection of its unshakeable resolve to eliminate terrorism, the prime minister expressed his disappointment over cold response of the world to Pakistan’s appeal for assistance to win the war against these evil forces and to provide relief to the dislocated people. The aid they sent or offered was insufficient, he said.
He urged the US to write off Pakistan’s debt to help in overcoming its immediate economic difficulties and make up for the economic losses it has suffered as a frontline State in the fight against terrorism.
The prime minister noted that while Pakistan’s law-enforcement and anti-terror campaign in the Malakand division was now nearing a successful conclusion, the promises of capacity building of its law-enforcement agencies still remained unfulfilled.
He emphasised that once military action was over, security personnel would have to take over. “They needed to be strengthened through new recruitments, proper training and adequate equipment and should be provided a social safety net to cater for their families, in case of casualties,” he added.
The prime minister said dignified and honourable return of dislocated persons to their homes must be facilitated for winning hearts and minds of the people and for this the international community had to fulfil its responsibility. The premier also expressed his concern that there would be an influx of refugees from Afghanistan, in the aftermath of new deployment of US and Nato forces there.
The US national security adviser fully agreed with the views of the prime minister and assured him that the US government would do every thing it could to help Pakistan. He reaffirmed President Obama’s keen desire to have a long-term, multifaceted and strategic cooperation with Pakistan under a new comprehensive regional strategy.
He lauded Pakistan Army’s successful operation against terrorists and praised Prime Minister Gilani for his statesmanship in consensus building and taking the whole nation along on this issue.
Gen James Jones further stated the US government would help in every possible way for the resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India and for resolution of the core issues like Kashmir dispute and water distribution between the two countries.
Federal Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Senator Sughra Imam and US Ambassador Anne W Patterson were present during the meeting.
Online adds: Meanwhile in a meeting with National Security Adviser Gen (retd) James Jones held at the US Embassy, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif said Pakistan is facing enormous challenges, as war against terrorism is causing negative effect on its economy but the Pakistani nation is determined to flush out terrorism and the US should help us.
“Our Army is taking action against extremism and soon it would emerge victorious,” he said. Opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was also present in the meeting in which issues related to war against terrorism, regional security, Pak-US relations, political situation in the country and Pak-India relations were discussed at length, sources said. Shahbaz said his party was lending unconditional support to government in the war against terrorism.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
‘Al-Qaeda, Taliban leaders not in Pakistan’
ISLAMABAD: Strongly reacting to some of the reports of the presence of al-Qaeda and Taliban leadership in Pakistan by the US newspapers and some intelligence agencies, President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday said more |
|
|
Mulla Omar in Karachi, claims WT
WASHINGTON: Mulla Muhammed Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, has fled Quetta and found refuge from the potential US attacks in Karachi with the assistance of Pakistan’s intelligence, the Washington Times more |
|
|
Will PM intervene or will robber barons kill CCP?
By Mehtab Haider
ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has warned that it will cease to exist and its actions will become invalid in case the government fails to re-promulgate the Competition Ordinance on or b more |
|
|
Eight militants die in US drone attack
By our correspondent
MIRAMSHAH: Eight militants were killed and two others injured when a US drone hit a house in the Michikhel area in North Waziristan on Friday, the second such attack in less than 24 hours.
Tribal sources sai more |
|
|
19 militants killed in SWA, Khyber, Bajaur clashes
By our correspondents
WANA/BARA/KHAR: Nineteen militants were killed in clashes with security forces in South Waziristan, Khyber and Bajaur tribal regions on Friday.
Tribal and officials sources said five militants were kille more |
|
|
|
Pakistan has nothing to fear from India: Singh
WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said India is ready to resolve all outstanding issues with the country on the condition that it will not allow its territory to be used against its neighbour more |
|
|
|
Qureshi wants result-oriented dialogue with India
MULTAN: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmud Qureshi said on Friday Pakistan wanted meaningful and result-oriented bilateral negotiations with India.
Addressing a press conference at the airport here, h more |
|
|
|
Only 15 pc believe Pakistan is going right
By Gibran Peshimam
KARACHI: Pakistan’s youths are losing confidence in the future and a mere 15 per cent believe that the country is heading in the right direction, while 72 per cent feel economically worse off than a year ago. O more |
|
|
|
Mustafa Jatoi passes away
ISLAMABAD: Former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi breathed his last at the St Marry Hospital in London on Friday after a protracted illness. He was 78.
He leaves behind six sons and three d more |
|
|
|
Slaughter of animals, NRO beneficiaries begins on Eid
By Muhammad Ahmad Noorani
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will soon announce its strategy to deal with the cases which are going to reopen on Nov 28, a NAB spokesman told The News on Friday.
“The NAB chairman more |
|
|
|
WFP, Rescue 15 attacks’ mastermind arrested
By Shakeel Anjum
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Police on Friday arrested the mastermind behind the attacks on the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Rescue 15 offices in Islamabad.
The terrorist, identified as Jamshed Ahmad more |
|
|
|
Mushahid asks Karzai not to allow use of Afghan land against Pakistan
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League-Q Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Friday asked President Hamid Karzai not to allow the use of Afghan land against Pakistan under Indian designs.
“Pakistan wa more |
|
|
|
No Indo-Pak FMs meeting: Nirupama
NEW DELHI: India on Friday said no meeting had been scheduled between foreign ministers of Pakistan and India in Port of Spain later this month on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting ( more |
|
|
|
US to tighten control of Afghan contracts: Gates
HALIFAX: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday that the United States must tighten control of Afghan development contracts as a first step towards stemming rampant corruption.
“The reality is more |
|
|
|
China has stake in Kashmir: Mirwaiz
News Desk
HELD SRINAGAR: As he plans to visit China, Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday kicked up a controversy by saying that Beijing has a “direct link” with the Kashmir issue, drawing strong obje more |
|
|
|
Clinton favours Indo-Pak dialogue on Kashmir
WASHINGTON: The United States is encouraging Pakistan and India to resume their dialogue to address Kashmir and other outstanding disputes but any solution must come from the two countries, Secretary of State H more |
|
|
|
Competition Commission forces PIA to fly fair
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Silent prayers of many Hajis have apparently been answered as the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has ordered PIA to refund within 60 days the excessive fares charged from the passengers, wh more |
|
|
|
Attack on policemen in Peshawar
By Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: The death toll in the bomb attack on police party in Yakatoot rose to three after a sub-inspector and another cop succumbed to injuries at the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) on Friday as the city mourned more |
|
|
|
‘Musharraf funnelling money to improve image’
ISLAMABAD: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has reportedly funnelled a large amount of money to his former aides in the country in order to improve his image, as he is planning a return to the c more |
|
|
|
Sen Lugar’s wife arrested, charged with drinking, hit-and-run
News Desk
WASHINGTON: The wife of Republican Senator Richard G Lugar was arrested in the suburb of McLean on Wednesday night after crashing into a parked car, and she was charged with drunk driving and hit-and-run, the F more |
|
|
|
briefs...
Bombers kill 23 in Afghanistan
HERAT: Bomb attacks on Friday killed 23 people in Afghanistan, a deadly start to President Hamid Karzai’s second term that underscored spiralling insecurity nine years into more |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
