LAHORE, July 11: War on terrorism cannot be won unless people of Kashmir, Afghanistan and Iraq are given their rights, a central leader of the PML-N says. Pervaiz Malik, the finance secretary, demanded on Monday that occupation forces should quit Iraq and Afghanistan without delay. Similarly, Kashmir and Palestine issues be settled as early as possible. Mr Malik said debts of poor countries, including Pakistan, should be written off as they had made no contribution to development. Instead, he said, these loans had deepened poverty.

The PML-N leader said it was good that allied forces at long last had reached the conclusion that war against terrorism could not be won by counter violence, security and protective measures, but by removing the causes of terrorism.