Terrorists to be chased wherever they go: Shah Mehmood

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Friday that Pakistan will chase the terrorists to rid the country of the menace of terrorism.Talking to media persons at the local airport, he said that operation will be carried out wherever needed,” adding that we will have to face the terrorists wherever they are and chase them to defeat terrorism”.

When asked whether operation will be expanded to other areas, he said that operations are carried out with proper planning and keeping in view the resources needed and their availability.
He said that a well thought-out strategy was adopted in Malakand and Swat by virtue of which tribal people are supporting the government, and they have formed Lashkars and are asking the miscreants to leave the area. That is how the operation will move ahead, he added.

To a question, Foreign Minister said that if there exist foreign elements in Waziristan, they will also be chased.

Foreign Minister said that tribal people are not supporting the foreign elements and are asking them to leave because their presence had disturbed their life. He said that the government was committed to defeat terrorism.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that water dispute with India was a serious matter and should be

resolved bilaterally before it reaches a level where it creates tension between the two countries.

He said that ‘political will’ and far-sightedness was needed to resolve water issue. He said that such dispute had arisen in past and then this problem was solved through World Bank. An agreement was signed between the two countries and an institutional mechanism was devised to resolve future disputes, he added.

However, their exist difficulties now, FM said adding that this problem can best be resolved politically and not technically and underlined the need for political will and far-sightedness on both sides to resolve the issue.

He said that Pakistan will try to resolve the water issue bilaterally and added that World Bank would be an option of last resort. Availing this option untimely will not benefit us, he said.

The FM disclosed that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will hold a meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh at Sharm Al-Sheikh on July 16.

He hoped that things would move ahead from what Indian Prime Minister and President Asif Ali Zardari had discussed at the sidelines of last SCO summit.

He said that during his recent meeting with Indian Foreign Minister on the sidelines of G-8 meeting in Italy, matters pertaining to re-engagement between the two countries, composite dialogue process and other unresolved issues including water and Kashmir issue came under discussion. Foreign secretaries of both countries are also expected to meet some time before Sharm Al-Sheikh meeting.

Qureshi said that both Pakistan and India are suffering from terrorism. He said that terrorists respect no boundary, religion, colour or race. He said that Pakistan had condemned the Mumbai incident but added that terrorism incidents also took place in our cities like Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, and Rawalpindi.

The FM said that Kashmir has been recognized by the world as an unresolved issue and is a part of composite dialogue process.

He said that talks should move ahead while keeping in view the will and sentiments of people living on both sides of Line of Control (LoC).

He said that movement in occupied Kashmir was an indigenous movement of the local people who are demanding rights and Pakistan government was committed to extend moral and political support to them, adding that dialogue is the only way to resolve differences.

Qureshi said that a trilateral meeting with Russian and Afghan Foreign ministers was also held at the sidelines of G-8 summit and a joint statement was issued on future framework of trilateral cooperation.

The Foreign Minister said that world leaders who met in Italy at recent G-8 meeting, a forum of eight industrialized countries, were all praise for Pakistan and instead of repeating ‘Do More’ phrase they were asking ‘How Can We Help’.

The G-8 meeting that was also attended by regional forces including China, Russia, India, Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) opened a new chapter of trust based relationship of Pakistan with the international community and regional powers.

He said that world leaders issued joint statements and held press conferences to commend Pakistan after G-8 meeting.

When asked about the recent hike in petrol price, the minister said, no government likes to increase prices, but added that the prices of petrol have risen to US$70 per barrel in the international market from 38-40 dollar level. Moreover, resource constraints and budget deficit were the other reasons that necessitated the increase. He, however, added that the price of petrol will be decreased with the reduction in international market price.

He said that exchange of lists of prisoners was a regular feature of Pak-India interaction. He said that Indian people had visited Pakistan jails to see Indian prisoners and our own people had visited Indian jails for the purpose. He added that recommendations prepared by people from both sides to facilitate prisoners of both countries should be considered seriously.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi refused to comment on the issue of establishment of new province saying that he can not violate the party discipline.

He said that President and party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has issued instructions in a parliamentary party meeting that no statements regarding new province should be issued by the party leaders because other sensitive and serious matters are already under discussion. No such statement should be issued by the party leaders unless party takes a decision on the matter, the minister said adding that such things create confusion.

To a question regarding inconvenience being faced by Zaireen due to tight security arrangements at mausoleums, he said that providing security to the people at Masajid, Imambargah and shrines was a responsibility of the government but added that he will request the Punjab government to make security arrangements at mausoleums in a way that do not create trouble for Zaireen.