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| India-Pakistan |
| Handful of foreign elements trying to disrupt peace: PM |
| 2009-11-18 |
| [Dawn] Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday said a handful of foreign elements were trying to disrupt peace in the country and the government would control them with an iron hand. Addressing a tribal jirga of the Mehsud tribes from Waziristan at the Ratta Kalachi camp set up by the government, Gilani said foreign militants of Arabs, Uzbek, Afghan and Chechen origin were operating in the country and were involved in terrorist activities. He said the operation 'Rah-i-Nijaat' was launched by the Pakistan Army against the anti-state elements who were involved in terrorist activities, killing of the innocent and destruction of private and public property. Gilani categorically stated that the Mehsud tribes were patriotic Pakistanis and had nothing to do with the handful of terrorists who had taken refuge in their area. He lauded the role of the tribal people in the creation of Pakistan and said the nation can never forget it. Accompanied by Governor NWFP Owais Ghani, Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar and Farzana Raja, Gilani was on a day-long visit to personally see the facilities being provided to the people. Prime Minister said Rs 24 billion were earmarked for reconstruction and rehabilitation work as part of the exit strategy and the first instalment of Rs six billion was already paid to the provincial government. He said Rs 5000 were being paid to each displaced family while the displaced of Waziristan agency will also be provided Rs 25,000 per family during the rehabilitation phase like the Malakand and Swat affected. He said it was vital that development work is undertaken in the tribal areas and promised to build dams and educational institutions so that they do not feel any sort of deprivation. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said a military operation was no solution and the government under the exit strategy will take measures to fill the administrative, economic, socio-political and cultural vacuum. He said students belonging to the Mehsud tribe will be given admission in all schools on priority basis, so that they can play an important role in the country's progress and development. |
| Posted by:Fred |