NAUDERO: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said Pakistan has no aggressive designs and wants peace in the region, but will respond effectively if war is thrust upon us.

'If war is thrust upon us, the whole nation, the political leadership and the armed forces will stand united to defend the country. There should be no doubt about it,' Gilani told newsmen here after visiting the grave of former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Buksh.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan, itself being a victim of terrorism and suffering a lot from this menace, condemns terrorism wherever it happens. 'Our own leader - Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto - became the victim of terrorism,' he added.

Gilani said Pakistan condemned the Mumbai terror attacks in the strongest possible terms and offered to cooperate with India after Dr Manmohan Singh sought intelligence cooperation.

He said Pakistan wants to have good relations with all its neighbours, including India and Afghanistan, and will never allow its soil to be used against any country by terrorists or non-state actors.

The Prime Minister also sought the international community's help in defusing the current tension between the two South Asian neighbours. 'We urge the world to help defuse the situation,' he said.

To a question about PPP-PML(N) relations with reference to Punjab, Prime Minister Gilani said difference of opinion is part of the democratic system.

He said it was owing to the vision of President Asif Ali Zardari that all political forces were taken onboard and coalition governments were formed at the federal and provincial levels.

The Prime Minister assured that PPP wants to take all allies and partners along and will not let the current democratic set-up destabilise.

Gilani hoped with the removal of some misunderstandings between the PPP and the PML (N) in Punjab, the situation will improve soon.