Govt Committed To Rooting Out Terrorism: PM Gilani

Friday, April 10, 2009 at 11:26 am

Govt Committed To Rooting Out Terrorism: PM Gilani ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday reiterated his government’s commitment to stamping out the cancer of terrorism and renewed his offer of dialogue to militants if they lay down their arms.

Addressing a delegation of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) here, he warned that the government would strictly deal with those who would challenge its writ. Besides, the CPNE delegation, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister of State for Information Sumsam Bukhari and senior officials of the information ministry were also present.

The prime minister said the government was working on a three-pronged strategy of dialogue, deterrence and development to counter terrorism. He said the government was striving to promote democratic culture, make parliament supreme and restore the real spirit of the 1973 Constitution.

Gilani said the country was facing external and internal threats and the PPP government inherited a fragile situation fraught with challenges of terrorism, economic weakness, political instability and energy crunch. “We tried to resolve these difficult issues with our limited resources and the results of our actions are starting to make a positive impact,” he added.

The prime minister said the issue of terrorism was a priority on the government’s agenda. He said judges were restored and satisfactory arrangements were being put in place to end loadshedding by the end of this year.

“But our this wish should not be seen as a weakness. Our people and our armed forces are ever prepared and watchful and ready to spill their blood to keep the green flag high and protect the country’s dignity.”

Gilani said the nation was standing at a critical and a very important turn of history. He expressed satisfaction that despite the plethora of challenges, the nation was united and democratic institutions and forces were flourishing and the spirit of reconciliation, tolerance and patience was strengthening. “In a short period of one year, we have crossed many important milestones but we have to go a long way in this journey.”

He assured of the government’s unshakable and strong belief in the freedom of the media. “In every difficulty and trial, we stood with the media and our and your relationship is proud part of the national history,” he said referring to relations of the government and the media.

The prime minister called on the media to lay down a code of conduct for a process of its own accountability. “The media should not make heroes out of terrorists and anti-social elements and should not carry events in print and electronic media that make people disappointed and distressed.”

He said the media should express its views without any fear but at the same time give priority to the wider national interest and take upon itself the protection of ideological and geographical frontiers of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, CPNE President Arif Nizami highlighted the issues faced by the media and gave suggestions for their resolution. The prime minister, later responding to the queries of CPNE delegation members, said the PPP believes in the policy of reconciliation and political stability so that the challenges of law and order and economic problems faced by the country were tackled effectively.

To a question about the allocation of government advertisements for television channels, the prime minister said the information ministry would work out a policy in this respect. The prime minister said after a recent terrorist attack in Chakwal, he had called a meeting of chief ministers, chief secretaries and all authorities concerned during which formulation of a comprehensive national policy was discussed. He said once the report about the proposed national policy was finalised, it will be discussed in parliament and will also be shared with the media.

Govt Committed To Rooting Out Terrorism: PM Gilani

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