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No terrorist network in Pakistan, says PM
Nawaz says we are country that combats terrorists, eliminates their safe havens
APPISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that there was no terrorist network in Pakistan at the moment.
“We are determined to defeat any terrorist network and to destroy it. Our forces will fight until every terrorist activity would be beaten,” he said in an interview with German national daily Die Welt, when asked about the reports of terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) in Pakistan.
Dismissing the allegations of Pakistan’s support to the Afghan Taliban, the prime minister said that he did not see any logic behind such accusations. “They are completely irrelevant and absurd. I would rather say we are a country that combats the terrorists and eliminates their safe havens,” he said. He mentioned that approximately 50,000 people had died in the terror including soldiers and civilians and the economy suffered big loss.
“Why should we also support terrorists? This is absolutely wrong and makes no sense,” he said. He said that just days ago, 60 people died in an attack in Lahore and the idea that "we cooperate with terrorists is unimaginable. We fight them.”
He said that the government had initiated talks with Taliban very seriously after a consensus among all political parties and state institutions. However, he said that the terrorist activity continued and there was no choice but to fight. To a question about Pakistan’s security policy after the international security assistance force withdraws from Afghanistan, the prime minister said, “This begins a new era for Afghanistan, which is also a new opportunity for the whole region.”
“We must work together to defeat terror. We must support each other. We must not allow terrorist attacks,” he said, adding Afghan president Ashraf Ghani had also declared that he would not tolerate such activities. About how safe democracy in Pakistan was, he said that free and fair election was a proud moment for Pakistan to be returned to the democratic path.
He said that cooperation between the political parties was an important step and stressed that it must be ensured that democracy provides what meets the expectations of the people. He said for the government, the highest priority was to boost economy and the biggest challenge was the power supply. He said that during his visit to Germany, the focus was how Germany could provide Pakistan the projects that could help to meet it energy needs.
He said that Pakistan being the largest wheat producer in the world and one of the major cotton exporters, there existed a lot of potential to make successful deals with Germany. About his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said that she was a woman of great state determination, wisdom and foresight.
He said that her leadership had kept Germany in very hard times running. The prime minister said that Pakistan was a modern country that looked to the future, believed in progress and growth and wanted to work hand in hand with the international community. “We do not just want a peaceful region, we want to contribute something to make the world a more peaceful and better place to live,” he said.
About the murder of a Christian couple in Punjab on accusation of desecration of the holy Quran, he said that he condemned the act in respect for humanity and for religious minorities. “As the prime minister of Pakistan, I feel responsible to ensure that all those who were involved in this act, be held accountable. The courts must punish them quickly,” he said.
He said that education was a major focus for the government and wanted to increase spending on education from two to four per cent of gross domestic product by the end of the legislative period. He praised Malala Yousufzai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize and her efforts for education. He said that half of the new doctors in Pakistan were female and women had the leadership in education.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk