ISLAMABAD: The president and the prime minister assured a delegation of US senators on Monday that Pakistan was committed to wiping out militants from its soil and expressed hopes that success in the fight against terrorism would ultimately benefit the entire world.

The delegation comprised Patrick Leahy, Mark Warner and Sheldon Whitehouse.

Talking to the delegation at the Presidency, President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan was fighting against militants not only for its own survival but for the peace of the whole world.

‘Pakistan has rendered sacrifices more than any other country of the world in the war against terror,’ the president said.

Pakistan was committed to eliminating extremism and terrorism and would continue to make serious efforts in this regard for regional and world peace, Zardari added.

GILANI: In his meeting with the senators, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani resented insinuations about Pakistan’s sincerity in the war on terror and said the entire nation and all institutions were supporting the military operation which would be taken to its logical end.

Gilani asked the international community, particularly the US, to do more by assisting the government in its efforts to implement the programme of relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation for the internally displaced people.

About the Swat peace agreement, the prime minister said it had been endorsed by parliament and had the support of the nation.

He said the promulgation of Nizam-i-Adl regulation in Swat was a part of the government’s efforts to promote national reconciliation and combat terrorism and extremism, but the agreement was violated by the other side and the government was left with no option but to launch the military operation to establish its writ in the area.

He said that Pakistan faced massive challenges of carrying out the operation against terrorists and providing relief to the displaced people.

About his government’s relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programme, the prime minister said its main objective was to win hearts and minds of the displaced people by providing timely relief and ensuring their safe return to their homes with honour and dignity.

He said that after restoration of peace in the region, the government would take up the second and third phases of the programme, rehabilitation and reconstruction, on a war-footing.

He thanked the US government for the assistance it pledged for capacity building and for helping the displaced people and called for its expeditious disbursement.

Gilani said that Pakistan desired good relations with all its neighbours and wanted resolution of all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

The senators agreed that the US had to play its role in resolution of the Kashmir dispute to enable Pakistan to focus its attention on combating terrorism.

They said that part of the Coalition Support Funds would be released this week and the disbursement of the pledged assistance for the displaced people would be fast-tracked.