By NNN-APP,
Washington : Advocating that a democratic Pakistan offers the best opportunity for durable peace, stability and success in fight against terror in the region, Islamabad’s envoy here Friday urged the world powers to back his South Asian country’s economic turnaround.
Ambassador Husain Haqqani said under the elected government Pakistan is witnessing some key transformations at national and grass roots levels in line with martyred former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s vision of reconciliation and terrorism-free country.
“What needs to be understood is that there is a connection between supporting Pakistan economically and in the fight against terrorism,” he stated at a talk on the majority coalition ruling Pakistan People Party’s Counter-terrorism Strategy at Washington’s Foundation for Defence of Democracies.
In this respect, the envoy cited the example of the tribal areas, where people have risen up against terrorists in the form of “Lashkars” and asserted they, therefore, need to be assisted economically for better lives.
“The fact that the ‘Lashkars’ are now being formed means that the message to fight off terrorists) has gone down to the people in the tribal areas and that al-Qaeda and the Taliban and their way of life is unacceptable to the tribal people. That is something, which has to be followed up with tremendous socio-economic support. If people were joining the forces of modernity, they must get benefits of modernity.”
The ambassador pointed out that of the $ 139 billion given to the banks in rescue package in the United States, as much as $ 40 billion is going to go to the bank executives, owed to them by the banks (as reported in the Wall Street Journal).
“When you see that statistics, and then you realise all Pakistan is asking for is a bailout of around $ 10 billion, to be able to get its economy back on its feet, to be able to fight terrorism effectively, you understand the proportionality.”
Listing some of the major improvements the country is embracing under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, he said:
“In the first place, the Pakistanis are now owning the fight against terrorism, which was not the case under the previous regime— contrastingly with people’s perceptions under the previous regime, now all ambiguity is gone. President Zardari has made it clear that Pakistan is going to define terrorists by their actions, not by their views. No more distinction between various groups.
“Secondly, the Parliament has passed a resolution, saying terrorism is a threat to the way of life of the people and that we need to eliminate it for the sake of Pakistan, we are not doing the United States a favour, we are doing it for our own sake.”
“Thirdly, Pakistan’s elected leadership has worked very closely with the military in making sure there is a comprehensive strategy, which has political, economic and military components.”
Emphasizing the efficacy of Pakistani forces’ sustained actions against militants, Haqqani said now there is reverse infiltration of militants on the border “from Afghanistan into Pakistan” particularly in the Bajaur area.
Islamabad, he said, wants to use Pakistan’s strategic location to serve as bridge for energy and trade between South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, a vision when translated into reality will bring better economic opportunities to the Pakistani people.
Another transformation is the government’s commitment to move the people away from the culture of militancy in the affected areas to a culture of entrepreneurship and scholarship so that the young people have hopes for a better future.
“The elected government wants to transform Pakistan into a vibrant modern, democratic nation and a beacon to the Muslim world.”