The US drone attacks on Pakistani soil proved counter-productive and are increasing hatred against America, besides terrorists are gaining public support, said Minister of State for Interior Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi here on Wednesday. Pakistan had officially raised the issue of drone attacks with the American leadership and forcefully asked to bring these attacks to an end, he said while speaking at the oath taking ceremony of Trader Association, Moti Bazar.
As a result of sincere efforts of the present government, peace was maintained in Swat and very soon entire Pakistan would see complete peace and normalcy, Qureshi said, adding that during last eight years in war against terrorism Pakistan had faced terrible socio-economic loss. He termed the Japan and China visit of President Asif Ali Zardari as successful, and said that pledges of over five billion dollar in Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) was success of diplomacy of President Zardari. "This economic support will lead Pakistan towards a new era of development and prosperity," he added.
Qureshi held Bush administration responsible for rise in terrorism, saying that if Bush administration, at the time of 9/11, had taken decision in view of public opinion, the situation would have been different. He expressed hope that Obama administration would not repeat the mistakes of the previous American regime and help Pakistan in its war on terror.
The Minister said that law and order situation was an open challenge for Pakistani nation and it demanded complete unity and solidarity to bail out the country from the crisis. He said: "The present government is taking appropriate measures to address the law and order situation and all the four provinces are being taken on board to maintain law and order situation. "Sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan is above all and every Pakistani has to keep it supreme," Qureshi said, adding that the mess created by military dictatorship during last eight years would take some time to clean.
He lambasted the international forces, who wanted disintegration of Pakistan, saying that the forces who thought the liquidation of Pakistan would themselves eliminate from world map and Pakistan, attained on the name of Islam would remain till lasting world. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) believed in democracy and struggled for strengthening of the democratic institutions, he said, adding that Benazir Bhutto had lost her life for the sake of democracy and Pakistan.