ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: On the fifth anniversary of terror attacks in the United States, Pakistan made an emphatic call for pursuing a comprehensive strategy globally to combat the scourge of terrorism.
“We have always emphasised that military operations alone would not eradicate terrorism. We need a comprehensive strategy that apart from military action must include a long-term approach of addressing political disputes, removing grievances and addressing the socio-economic issues,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at a weekly news briefing here on Monday.
Commenting on the war against terrorism, she said it was a continuing process and noted that so far it had been focusing largely on military action and not enough attention had been given to the other equally important ‘aspects of addressing the underlying causes’ of this phenomenon.
Ms Aslam said while in the short-term military operations were required to thwart terrorist plots, in the long-term there was also need to focus on the causes that provided the terrorists the peg to exploit the sentiments of ordinary people regarding genuine grievances.
Referring to the long-festering political disputes, perceived or real humiliation, sense of alienation and deprivation, under-development, poverty and other socio-economic issues facing the Muslim world, she emphasised: “We must focus on these aspects as well if we have to win this war.”
TRUCE: Asked if Pakistan had informed or consulted Afghanistan or the US ahead of the peace accord with pro-Taliban tribesmen in North Waziristan, Ms Aslam said the government had not done so as it was an internal matter. When her attention was drawn to President Bush’s statement that the US government was closely watching the truce, she said: “Well, everyone is most welcome to watch it.”
When asked if President Bush was planning to host an Iftar meeting for President Musharraf and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in Washington later this month, the spokesperson left it at: “Yes, there is something on the cards. I will not prejudge that meeting.”
To another question the spokesperson said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was likely to visit Afghanistan for the inauguration of Torkham-Jalalabad road built by Pakistan. However, she did not go into the exact details and timing of the visit.
HAVANA MEET: On President Musharraf’s planned meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Havana this week, Ms Aslam said it had no specific agenda and added: “The two leaders are expected to have detailed discussion on a broad agenda which would include the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, peace process and whatever else they want to discuss.”
MISSION: To a question the spokesperson said Pakistan was sending an army contingent to Lebanon for the sole purpose of removing landmines and cluster bombs at the specific request of Lebanese leadership. Making it clear that it was not a peacekeeping mission, she said: “This is a gesture from Pakistan to the people of Lebanon.”
