Rising tide of terrorism most daunting challenge: PM

Says Pakistan in forefront of global war against terrorism

RIYADH: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in interaction with the Muslim leaders said on Sunday that the rising tide of terrorism and extremism is the most daunting challenge that the world confronts today.

“Unfortunately, Pakistan has been in the forefront of this existential struggle, bearing a disproportionately large burden,” the prime minister, who is in Saudi Arabia to attend the US-Arab-Islamic Summit, said.

Nawaz Sharif in his interaction with King Salman bin Abdulaziz, US President Donald Trump and other leaders from Muslim and Arab world said that Pakistan has a deep commitment to the unity of the Muslim world, and to the promotion of interfaith harmony and dialogue. 

The prime minister said that being the frontline state, Pakistan has rendered remarkable sacrifices in the global fight against terrorism. Choice of Saudi Arabia as the venue for the first Arab-Islamic-American Summit is appropriate, given the reverence and respect that the entire Muslim world has for this land of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). The prime minister appreciated the leadership of President Trump to make this summit as his first overseas engagement, and said that this initiative of President Trump is of great symbolic significance. 

“Tens of thousands of our citizens and thousands of our security personnel have been martyred, or injured in terrorist attacks; while billions have been lost in terms of economic cost,” Nawaz said. The prime minister apprised that like many other countries, Pakistan has made tough choices and taken difficult decisions to deal with the new and emerging challenges. 

"We have confronted terrorism with courage and conviction; and the massive human and financial costs have further strengthened our resolve," the prime minister said. He said the turnaround in Pakistan both on the security and economic fronts, with the last year witnessing the lowest number of terrorist attacks in a decade, presents a good example of how political commitment, based on an across-the-board national consensus, supported by determined and well organised kinetic operations of armed forces, could bring about the desired results in countries afflicted with the scourge of extremism and terrorism.

Besides King Salman and President Trump, the prime minister exchanged views with a number of other leaders including the emir of Qatar, king of Bahrain, president of Azerbaijan, prime minister of Malaysia and president of Tajikistan. 

Earlier, upon his arrival in Riyadh on a two-day visit, Nawaz Sharif was received at the airport by Saudi high officials including Governor Riyadh Prince Faisal bin Bandar. Nawaz later joined the world leaders to attend the inauguration ceremony of the World Centre against Extremism, a counter-radicalisation initiative by Saudi Arabia.