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MULTAN, April 29 (APP)‑ Foreign
Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday appealed to the Pakistani
people to rise above their personal and party interests for national consensus
and political stability to successfully counter challenges confronting the
country. Talking to media persons at the
local airport, FM said PPP Punjab legislators think that they should remain a
part of coalition in the province while maintaining a good working relationship
and hoped that positive thinking would prevail in the April 30 meeting of PML‑N.
“I hope PML‑N leadership will
express positive thinking and I have no doubt on their wisdom and loyalty to the
country,” Qureshi said. He said that “We must give the message to world that we
are sincere to combat serious challenges of terrorism and extremism, willing to
nurture democracy and make Pakistan stronger.”
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said there
is complete harmony between military and political leadership and every step is
being taken after consultation.
He said that military
leadership is working in harmony with political leadership and declared that
nobody would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government.
“The operation against
miscreants in Buner and other troubled areas was a part of our joint strategy,”
he added.
Expressing deep grief over the
martyrdom of thirteen innocent children, Foreign Minister questioned what was
their fault and who was responsible for killing them by using a toy bomb? He
said that infrastructure put in place was also being destroyed by the
miscreants. The FM said that government’s commitment to restore peace remains
strong to keep lives of people safe and it proceeded ahead with agreement with
conditions of shunning violence and laying down arms. However, the government
also reserves the right to respond if the other party breaks promises and move
beyond its obligations. And, you have seen that government took action in Buner,
Dir, Shangla and paramilitary forces are in action operating against the
miscreants, he added.
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The Foreign Minister said that
President Asif Ali Zardari, he himself, other ministers and officials will leave
for Washington on May 5 to attend the tri‑lateral talks on May 6 and 7. He
disclosed that operational new strategy of Obama administration would be
discussed during the negotiations with US President, Vice President Joseph Biden,
Senator John Kerry, members of US Congress and Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton. “We will move forward with the agenda of Pakistan during the
negotiations,” FM added.
He said that intelligence
chiefs of three countries and agriculture ministers will also participate in the
talks. He said that five clusters will be the focus of talks including
agriculture, energy, water resources for economic related support to Pakistan.
He disclosed that on May 9, he
will also meet with US nationals of Pakistan origin in New York and discussions
would take place on how to confront challenges and how can they help plead the
case of Pakistan.
The FM said that 51 countries
and international organizations extended unanimous political support to Pakistan
at the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) meeting in Tokyo that also brought
pledges worth US$ 5.28 billion in economic aid equal to Rs 424 billion.
He said that the unanimous
support of the world, Pakistan won at FoDP meetings failing all attempts of
those forces which wanted to isolate us.
He said that relations with
Iran have also improved significantly and the neighbouring country came up with
US$330 million aid pledge for Pakistan at FoDP while Saudi Arabia pledged US$700
million.
He said that four visits paid
by the President to China helped further cement ties between the two countries.
China is an all‑weather friend of Pakistan and in addition to economic
assistance, reasonable progress has been made on strategic projects being
undertaken in Pakistan with the help of China.
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