Punjab Governor Salman Taseer has said that Pakistanis are living a normal life and not afraid of terrorists attempting to destabilise country's security and peace. In a media talk during his visit to a popular local ice cream shop on Bedon Road here Thursday, he said the nation would never bow to any pressure by the terrorists elements.
"I often visit the city to take meal, ice cream and food, and we will continue to live a normal life," he added. Punjab Revenue Minister Haji Ishaq, Population Walfare Minister Neelum Jabbar and Punjab Assembly Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Development, Shahzad Cheema also accompanied him. The Governor observed, "Difficult times come in nations' life and we will face all odds through thick and thin, and a handful terrorists cannot affect masses' routine life."
To a question, he said government had closed down educational institutions just to review their security arrangements, as the terrorists were attacking even women and children, which was not a human behaviour but brutality. "No human think of striking women and children even in war," he maintained. Now the democratic government, all the political forces, institutions and the armed forces were united to foil the evil designs of the terrorists, he said, adding "We will soon reopen the educational institutions; Insha Allah."
Neelum Jabbar said that fight against terrorism would continue till elimination of the last terrorist. The present democratic government, the President and Prime Minister had the credit of effectively tackling the worse situation created due to ill-conceived policies of the dictator (Pervez Musharraf) during his long eight years of misrule.
The present government had launched effective offensive against the terrorists in Malakand and Waziristan and they would find nowhere to run, she added. Responding to reporters' queries, Shahzad Cheema said that fight against terrorism was the war of Pakistan and its nation and we must not loose courage in this regard. "The prevailing situation is not too worse for Pakistani nation, which has high morale and ability to face all kind of challenges, and we have to defeat the terrorists through unity and solidarity," he maintained.