ISLAMABAD: A visiting member of the  Parliament, Eija Riitta Korhola, has criticised the US drone attacks inside Pakistan and observed that terrorism cannot be defeated just by use of force.

'Weapons alone cannot defeat the scourge of terrorism, but you need to influence minds and hearts,' she said while talking to reporters after a meeting here.

Ms Korhola was visiting Pakistan as the head of a two-member fact-finding mission to assess the conditions of religious minorities and in her capacity as chairperson of the Finland-based First Step Forum (FSF). The FSF is an international organisation committed to promoting democracy and religious freedoms across the globe.

Terming religious liberty as a litmus test for human rights, Ms Korhola appreciated the steps being taken by the government for the welfare of minority communities. She particularly mentioned the allocation of five per cent quota in government jobs for them and plans to constitute committees for inter-faith harmony.

Executive Director of the FSF Johan Cadelin said that during his meetings with federal ministers he had expressed concern over 'the misuse of blasphemy laws'. He hoped that effective steps would be taken to stop the misuse of the laws.