Reaf-firming its commitment to eliminate terrorism, Pakistan told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that militants and terrorists will not be allowed any space on the Pakistani territory. "Pakistan has the will. We do not fear adversity," Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in the course of a wide-ranging speech that focused on the war on terrorism.
"It is Pakistan's firm determination not to allow any space on its territory for militants and terrorists," she said in her maiden speech at world stage. "At the regional plane, we must all pledge that our respective territories will not be allowed to be used against others by terrorists."
"We must demonstrate complete unity in ranks, avoid any recrimination, build greater trust and more importantly bring about the requisite operational co-ordination in combating this menace," Khar said in an apparent reference to accusations by US officials about Pakistan lacking commitment to go after terrorists. "Otherwise, only the terrorists will gain." In her speech, the foreign minister also spoke about the resumption of Indo-Pakistan dialogue process, hoping that it will be uninterrupted and uninterruptible.
"We certainly intend to make this engagement fruitful and premise it on the promise of a mutually rewarding enterprise that would enable us to optimally avail the complementarities that exist," Khar said. "We look forward to resolving all outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is among the oldest on the agenda of the United Nations and the subject of several Security Council resolutions.
A peaceful resolution that accords fully with the aspirations of the Kashmiris, is a sine qua non for durable stability. As is the need for safeguarding of their fundamental human rights." "The reality of a nuclearised South Asia, imposes on both Pakistan and India, the onerous responsibility to work together for creating mutual confidence, avoiding an arms race, and enhancing strategic stability. We look forward to moving in this direction in the dialogue process dealing with Pakistan efforts to combat terrorism, the foreign minister called for international co-operation to totally obliterate the menace in all its forms and manifestations."
"We are keenly aware about the threat terrorism poses to Pakistan, to Pakistan neighbours, or to the rest of the world," she said. "Over 30,000 innocent Pakistanis have been killed including men, women and children. The ever-valiant Pakistani armed forces have defended Pakistan, and the rest of the world at the highest cost.
Our troops have laid down 6,532 Shuhada, or martyrs. 19,190 of our strongest, bravest and most honour-worthy boys have suffered injuries. And it does not stop there. "We have seen 3,629 of our police and paramilitary personnel embrace Shahadat, or martyrdom. 10,720 of these men and women of the police and paramilitary services have been injured, since 2002.
The grieving mothers, daughters, sisters and wives of these brave men and women are a constant reminder of our need to be vigilant and to fight the menace of terrorism." "If I began recounting Pakistan's sacrifices and Pakistan's suffering, I would keep you here till next September, she said, recounting the sufferings the people of Pakistan resulting from terrorist attacks. "We do not take terrorism lightly. We cannot. We have suffered far too much". "Our nation is united in its determination to eliminate the spectre of terrorism from our soil, from our region and the world. It is important to enhance international co-operation to totally obliterate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."
She cited the arrest of Yousuf Al Mauritani, the Chief Operative of al Qaeda, in a joint ISI and CIA operation among the successes of the drive to curb terrorism. "Eliminating terrorism is in our national interest. We believe that our success is critical to regional and global peace and security.
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