 ISLAMABAD: Moderates are gaining the upper hand in Pakistan, as is evident from the results of the first phase of local elections, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday. Local bodies are the building blocks of a democratic system and the recent elections will strengthen democracy in Pakistan, Aziz told members of the Association of Asian Parliament for Peace (AAPP) here. He said democracy was flourishing in Pakistan with an active opposition and free press.
| I find that both surprising and gratifying. Maybe Mahmoud al-Pakistani finds MMA's clownishness as offensive as we do? |
The prime minister criticised the Western media for its ânegative portrayalâ of Pakistan following the July 7 terrorist bombings in London. He said the bombers were referred to as Pakistanis, even though they were born, brought up and educated in the UK. Later speaking at a dinner for the Executive Council of the AAPP, Aziz said Pakistan was committed to fighting terrorism, but sought measures to counter the root causes. âWe have been engaged in counter terrorism cooperation with the international community much before 9/11. There can be no justification for terrorism, but we are opposed to any attempt that seeks to draw a linkage between terrorism and Islam or a particular country. Terrorism has no religion and is a universal scourge.â He said new threats including nuclear proliferation, terrorism, extremism and the increased use of unilateralism had compounded earlier threats arising from poverty, underdevelopment, territorial disputes, and denial of justice. |