Military operations are not a solution to all the problems in the Tribal Areas and Swat, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the National Assembly on Monday, and vowed to come up with a 'political strategy' to deal with the situation. Surrender?
Abject surrender?
"Every Pakistani is concerned about the attacks on girls' schools in Swat. The security forces are in control in the Tribal Areas and will soon establish the writ of the government in Swat," Gilani told the House.
The prime minister assured the National Assembly that the government would soon bring the situation under control through 'a better and practical strategy'. "I have called the NFWP governor for a briefing today. I will also call the law-enforcement agencies [for a briefing] ... and then take all the political forces into confidence," he added.
He said that the government has formed a parliamentary committee to deal with the situation in Swat, and the administration would respect the decision made by the body.
Mumbai suspects: Gilani also made it clear that Pakistan would not hand over the suspects arrested in the Mumbai attacks probe to India, but if the suspects were found guilty, they would be tried and prosecuted under the law of the land. "Let me make it clear that we are not investigating the Mumbai attacks under any external pressure ... we are investigating in our own interest," he said.