27/07/2008
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PM terms rule of law leading liability, says war on terror is now ours
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ISLAMABAD: Declaring the rule of law as government's top priority, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday that writ of the government would be established at all costs. "My priority number one is to maintain law and order in the country and I want that writ of the state should not be challenged", Gilani told news persons before leaving for Washington on an official visit to United States at the invitation of President George W Bush.
Replying to a question about the war against terrorism and the situation in tribal areas he said, "We have a clear stance on the issue of terrorism and extremism. This is our own fight. This is our own cause."
The Prime Minister said containing terrorism and extremism is in Pakistan's own interest. Gilani said this is his first-ever visit to the United States, with which Pakistan has excellent bilateral relations and the two countries are cooperating in several areas including defence, intelligence sharing, education, health, science and technology, agriculture and various other sectors.
"We have lot of cooperation and we want to further enhance cooperation between the two countries", he added. To another question, the Prime Minister said the main focus of his discussions with President Bush and others in Washington would be on increased bilateral cooperation in various fields.
About the investors' roundtable on Pakistan's power sector being organised with the World Bank and International Finance Corporation during his visit, the Prime Minister hoped that due to this initiative the country will attract huge investment in energy sector.
He recalled that it was the PPP government, which introduced the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in 1994 and at that time it was not taken seriously but later on the people came to know about the benefits of that initiative. "Now the investment will come in a big way", Gilani said in reference to the upcoming investment conference in the United States on Thar Coal.
The Prime Minister was seen off at the Chaklala Airbase by Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Labour Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Minister for Kashmir and Northern Areas Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majid and senior officials.
During his stay from July 27 to 30, Prime Minister Gilani will meet President Bush on July 28 who will also host a luncheon in his honour.
The two leaders will have a wide ranging exchange of views on bilateral matters and regional and international issues of common interest.This will be Gilani's first visit to the United States since assuming office in March 2008. Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman, Advisor to PM on Interior, Rehman Malik, Special Assistant to PM on Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar are accompanying the Prime Minister, while Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar and Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf will join him in Washington.-APP
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