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Pakistan committed to eliminating terrorism: US senators told

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has made “great sacrifices” in the war on terror to save Pakistan and the rest of international community from terrorism, said President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday.

“Pakistan has made … sacrifices in the war on terror for safety and peace not only in Pakistan, but also in the rest of the world,” Zardari told US senators Thomas Carper, Mark Udall, Jeanne Shaheen, Kay R Hagan, and Mark Bagich. The president also reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to curb extremism and militancy for peace and stability in the region. Zardari and the US senators discussed matters related to Pakistan’s efforts in the fight against militancy and extremism, with the focus on the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Zardari said political and economic assistance by the international community would bolster Pakistan’s efforts in the rehabilitation of IDPs and reconstruction in affected areas. He said winning the hearts and minds of IDPs was a critical component of the war on terror, and the international community must step forward to assist Pakistan.

The delegation also called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who urged the US to play its role in the resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue. The US senators pledged their support for expediting the provision of humanitarian assistance for IDPs from Swat and Malakand. They assured that the US would also assist Pakistan in training the country’s security and law-enforcement agencies. The prime minister said Pakistan was not only trying to end militancy in Swat through an army operation, but also trying to cope with displacement of nearly 2.7 million people. He said little of the pledged international assistance had so far arrived, and urged the international community, particularly the US, to provide quicker assistance.

He said the Friends of Pakistan forum must also take into account the ground realities to strengthen Pakistan in the war on terrorism. He also called for improvement in intelligence-sharing and cooperation between Pakistan and the US to counter terrorism and extremism.

The US senators also called on Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman (CJCSC) General Tariq Majid, and discussed matters of mutual interest, with special focus on regional security and the ongoing operations in Swat. “We – as a nation – have sacrificed more than any other coalition partner in this war. With more than two million Pakistanis displaced and our forces engaged in an operation against the Taliban, we are making headway with our firm resolve even within our meagre resources,” said the CJCSC. Replying to a question about the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets, General Tariq said such concerns were unfounded. He said Pakistan had developed and operationalised an “immaculate” security regime.

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