Asif Ali President Ten PercentZardari
... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ...
on Monday stressed Pakistain's commitment to Afghan peace, development and prosperity, calling for trans-border cooperation, which he said would not only transform the region's economic landscape, but would also be an effective bulwark against extremism and militancy.
"We believe that the crusade against poverty and deprivation must be waged in tandem with the war against terrorism. Pakistain's consistent position is that more than military might, it is a battle for hearts and minds," said the president.
The president was addressing the inaugural session of the two-day fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA-V) being hosted by Tajikistan and attended by delegations from around 70 countries and international organizations.
Zardari also said that Pakistain believed that an economically strong and politically stable Afghanistan would be a catalyst for peace and prosperity in the region, adding, on the other hand, regional cooperation that optimizes Afghanistan's strategic location would be a vital ingredient for the country's development.
The President said, "When I support development for Afghanistan, I am in essence supporting development for Pakistain."