Pakistan assures help to crush terrorism

Walter JAYAWARDHANA

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Quereshi declared in London that Pakistan is maintaining “excellent” relations with Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean island republic will continue to receive all help to crush terrorism.

Speaking to a packed house at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London the Pakistan Foreign Minister said Sri Lanka will receive all help the country’s Government needs to eradicate the terrorist menace.

Taking part on the same day , in the same institute but on a separate panel discussion Indian diplomat G. Parathasarathy said “India paid it price for backing the LTTE” and “We have learnt our lesson” for backing the terrorist group.

Parathasarathy was an Indian diplomat who was in the thick of it when India tried to mediate a solution for the Sri Lankan crisis during the Rajiv Gandhi era.

During the morning sessions of the Institute on July 24 the Pakistani Foreign Minister assured Sri Lanka of its future aid to crush terrorism when Douglas Wickramaratne, President of the Sinhala Association of Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom asked the foreign Minister whether such aid would continue to flow to Sri Lanka to crush terrorism under the background that certain sections bring pressure on the Sri Lankan government that Sri Lanka should receive weapons only from certain countries.

Wickramaratne said Pakistan had done great service to her neighbour in the past by giving military aid in the hour of need.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister arrived at the Institute to speak on the “Imperatives for Peace and Prosperity in South Asia-Pakistan’s Perspective.” Dr. John Chapman was in the chair.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister said that his country was playing an active role in the international campaign against terrorism as a frontline state and the country has been a victim of terrorism for decades and their counter terrorism efforts predated the events of 9/11.

“Our commitment to fight terrorism has been unswerving not withstanding the threats terrorism poses today and the terrorist attacks Pakistan has had to face due to principled position,” he said addressing the audience.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister said that from last year the country had suffered thousands of casualties in various terrorist incidents across Pakistani. In the armed confrontation with the militants more than a thousand of Pakistani soldiers had sacrificed their lives , the Foreign Minister said.

He said Pakistan’s message to terrorists was clear and unequivocal.

He said his government would not allow their territory to be used by terrorists and they would not be daunted by the threats of terrorism. He said in no uncertain terms that they would not allow foreign troops to operate inside its territory too. He said military action within their territory was the sole prerogative of the Pakistani armed forces.

He said the country has subscribed to a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism that included political economic and military measures to find immediate and long term solutions to the problem. Pakistan wished to address the root causes of terrorism and to suppress it for the long term.