ISLAMABAD, May 2: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has welcomed the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and assured the world of the country's continuous help in the war on terror.

He said in a statement issued in Urdu on Monday evening: “The killing of Osama bin Laden will help remove many hurdles in the way of worldwide peace efforts in which Pakistan has always participated. The people of Pakistan are peace-loving and its leadership across political lines is united in the fight against terrorism.”

The prime minister said the elimination of Osama, a foreigner who had declared war against Pakistan and was responsible for killing over 30,000 Pakistani citizens and 5,000 security personnel, was a great victory of the alliance against terrorism.

He said Osama had been killed in the early hours of Monday on the basis of leads from local intelligence agencies in a military operation carried out by Americans as part of their declared policy that the US military would kill him in any part of the world, he said.

The prime minister said the killing reflected the resolve against terrorism of the international community, including Pakistan.

However, the prime minister did not spell out the nature of cooperation Pakistani intelligence agencies had offered to the Americans in carrying out the operation.

He generally mentioned that the country's intelligence agencies had an effective mechanism to share information with intelligence agencies of the world, including the United States, and said Pakistan would continue to offer its help as part of international efforts against terrorism.

He said the country had a clear and open policy of not allowing its territory to be used for acts of terror against other countries.

“The political leadership, parliament and other state institutions are united for the elimination of terrorism in the country.” He said terrorism was not only affecting law and order but had also cost the nation dearly in terms of financial instability.

The prime minister said his government was following a policy of reconciliation to take all parties along for resolving both national and international issues confronted by the country. “I am fully hopeful that with the collective support and struggle of the masses, political parties and military leadership, we will soon curb extremism and terrorism.”

He expressed the hope that while appreciating Pakistan's role in the war on terrorism the world would continue its help till its final victory. US DELEGATION:

While a media frenzy continued throughout the day over the circumstances under which Osama had been killed in Abbottabad, Prime Minister Gilani chose his meeting with an American delegation in the afternoon to confirm the incident.

“Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed his appreciation of President Obama's statement earlier in the day in which he duly acknowledged Pakistan for its support and cooperation leading to the hideout of Osama bin Laden,” a handout issued after his meeting with the US delegation led by Ambassador Marc Grossman, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The US special representative thanked Prime Minister Gilani and his government for their steadfast cooperation and support in the war against terrorism and intelligence cooperation which had eventually led to the elimination of Osama.

The prime minister “emphasised the need for constructive and positive messaging from both the sides on today's operation and stressed that the sensitivities in this regard must be given due importance rather than giving it a spin”.

Despite relentless criticism of the government by private TV channels for keeping quiet over what was the top story of the day throughout the world, broken by American President Barack Obama himself, media managers from the civilian and military establishments had kept a mysterious silence earlier in the day over the development.

Neither the information minister nor the ISPR issued any official statement.

The prime minister also welcomed the fact that through the recent visits of the ISI director general and the foreign and defence secretaries to the US and Ambassador Grossman's current visit to Islamabad, both sides had been able to resume the process for the 4th round of strategic dialogue. Pakistan, he said, was looking forward to US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's visit later this month for the dialogue which, he hoped, would pave the way for water, energy and economic development projects in the country.

He also welcomed a dialogue among Pakistan, the US and Afghanistan beginning on Tuesday.

The prime minister urged the US media and think-tanks to avoid creating a misunderstanding between the two countries on the Afghan issue.

He said the three countries should form the core group to coordinate their positions on the reconciliation and reintegration process which must be Afghan-led and -owned.

The prime minister said the strategic partnership to be negotiated between the US and Afghanistan on the role of America and the International Security Assistance Force was a “bilateral matter between the two countries”.

He said the government would ensure timely implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement.

The US envoy assured the prime minister that the US would keep Pakistan fully apprised of its policy and share the progress of its strategic partnership with Afghanistan. He said the Kerry Lugar Bill would help Pakistan in implementing economic reforms. CONGRATULATION:

“We will not allow our soil to be used against any other country for terrorism and, therefore, I think it's a great victory, it's a success and I congratulate the success of this operation,” Prime Minister Gilani said in an interview to AFP.

About the extent to which Pakistan had cooperated in the operation, he said: “I don't know minute details, but in short we have intelligence cooperation.”

Asked if it was embarrassing for the government to discover that Osama had been living within easy reach of the capital, he said: “It's an embarrassment for the whole world because of the high tech and the intelligence and such information, they could not reach that gentleman for the last seven years.”

He said he did not know if other arrests had been made.

“We don't have the details as yet. I think they (US) will disclose that. We have some arrangements with them and those arrangements and practices will be followed.”