ISLAMABAD, July 1: The West paid a huge price for using Pakistan for achieving short-term objectives and investing more on arming its military than on its people, according to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

“We were exploited under colonialism, manipulated … during the Cold War, made to fight a proxy war against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and when that war was won, Pakistan and Afghanistan were abandoned to the forces of extremism and fanaticism,” he said in his keynote address at the Socialist International Congress in Athens on Tuesday.

He said that Pakistan was now “the Petri dish of international terrorism … that was a product of failed international politics and not our creation”.

The PPP leader said Pakistan could still be converted into a successful model of modernity for 1.3 billion Muslims but it needed international community’s help.

“We can’t do it alone. We need the help of the world. If we succeed, we will contain extremism and terrorism. But if we fail, the world will fail with us”.

Mr Zardari urged the world to convene a South and Central Asia regional conference to coordinate a multi-faceted international programme to not just militarily contain terrorism, but to suffocate the “fire of terrorism by rebuilding economies and infrastructure of our region”.

“A prosperous Pakistan will smash the remnants of terrorism from our frontiers better than the bullets, missiles and tanks of the superpowers,” he said.

He sought help for Pakistan’s socio-economic development and said it would ensure stability in Pakistan in particular and the world in general.

He said Pakistan was resisting terrorism not as “surrogates but as partners” of the civilised world because “we are fighting for the very soul of Pakistan,” adding that Pakistan had suffered more casualties in fighting terrorism than any other nation, including the United States on September 11, 2001.

“Has the UN, or the United States, or the United Kingdom, contributed one cent to the victims of terrorism in our land”?

The PPP leader said the people of Pakistan had confidence in their future and it was imperative to address their long-neglected social, economic and infrastructure needs.

“We will restore law and order to our land and attack fanaticism and terrorism wherever it rears its ugly head.” The PPP co-chairman said that the Pakistani government planned to transform tribal areas – hotbed of terrorist activity – economically, politically and socially, and integrate these areas into mainstream Pakistani society.

He said that Pakistan was also facing a looming energy and water crisis that threatened its progress. He said that to meet the challenge, the government would set up new power generating units, producing 2,200 megawatts this year alone and tackle the water issue on an emergency basis, reducing water consumption by half.

He claimed that education had been made a high priority “not just because it is right, but also because it is in the long-term strategic interests of Pakistan and the world.”

Referring to politics in Madressahs and their educational curriculum, he said: “In Pakistan, political Madressahs have spread hatred and intolerance. We will move to provide a uniform and responsible national curriculum, both for public and seminary education, so that Pakistani children have an opportunity for a future free of intimidation and coercion. And if political Madressahs will not conform … we will shut them down.”

He also paid glowing tribute to Benazir Bhutto.—APP