By IRNA,
Islamabad:US National Security Advisor, General James Jones, Friday called on President, Asif Ali Zardari, and discussed security situation in the region, drone attacks and fight against militancy, presidential spokesman said.
Both leaders also discussed rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons, strengthening of the law enforcing agencies, coalition support funds arrears, the new US screening procedures and Pakistan’s energy needs, Farhatullah Babar said.
The President said that Pakistan welcomed US declarations of support to Pakistan’s security and stability and economic development and emphasized that the continued support must be based on mutual respect and trust.
The President said that Pakistan had suffered a huge loss of over 35 billion dollars during the last eight years as a result of the fight against militancy in addition to the colossal and unquantifiable cost in terms of social and human losses which had almost crippled the nation’s economy.
The President also pointed out the delays in payments of arrears of Coalition Support Fund of over 1.5 billion dollars and called for early repayments of outstanding dues.
The President also expressed reservations over the new screening regime for Pakistani nationals and called for its review as it had created resentment in the country and led to doubts and misgivings among the people of Pakistan.
About the drone attacks on Pakistani territory, the President said that it undermined the national consensus against the war on militancy and reiterated Pakistan’s call for transfer of done technology to it for use by its own security forces against the militants for wider public acceptability.
Referring to the new Afghan strategy, the President said that Pakistan has legitimate interests in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The US National Security advisor appreciated Pakistan’s role in the war against extremism and militancy and assured continued strategic political and economic support to Pakistan to win this war.