August 02, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 29, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 1: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has conveyed to Washington that coordination with a democratic set-up in Pakistan will be beneficial both for Islamabad and the world, says Pakistan People’s Party Foreign Liaison Committee Chairman Munir Ahmad Khan.

Describing Gilani’s US visit as “very successful”, Khan told a press conference here on Friday: “The prime minister conveyed emotions of the nation to Americans after eight years of dictatorship and made them realise that compromises with a dictator would be of no use.”

He said the visit developed a thinking in the US that armed forces should stay away from political affairs. He said Gilani eased the hype created by the US media regarding strikes in Pakistan by foreign forces in hot pursuit of alleged terrorists.

Khan said the prime minister not only managed to get sanctioned $15 billion US loans on soft terms, but also secured $115 million financial aid to improve food situation in the country. He said it was success of the visit that participants of an investment conference in America did not show dissatisfaction at the law and order situation in Pakistan.

US investment in the Thar coal project, Khan said, would add 10 million megawatt power to the national grid and solve Pakistan’s energy crisis once and for all. He said the PPP government neither liked foreign bases nor it would tolerate any one of these in the country.