October 31, 2009 17:17 PM

Pakistan Means Business In Fighting Terrorism - Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has dismissed the notion that his country failed to tackle terrorism.

As a frontline state, he said, Pakistan paid a heavy price in confronting terrorism which saw over 2,000 soldiers sacrificing their lives in the line of duty.

In fact, Pakistan was fighting against the spillover effects of the long and continuing conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan, he said, adding that his country resolved to eliminate terrorists and militants.

"It is (therefore) not correct to say that we have failed. (However) we should not expect results any time soon.

"We are determined to get rid of the scourge of terrorism and militancy to the complete eradication.

"While the Pakistan Government is pursuing a policy of dialogue, development and deterrence, it also means business in fighting terrorism to ensure the security of the country," he told Bernama in a written interview ahead of attending the Group of Eight Islamic Developing Countries (D-8) Ministerial Meeting here on Monday.

Qureshi was asked why Islamabad still failed to tackle the problem despite getting support from major powers such as the United States, in its fight against terrorism.

Washington, which is fighting the Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan, sees Pakistan -- which is also battling terrorism and militancy on an almost daily basis -- as an important partner in the United States fight against terrorism in that volatile region.

"The unprecedented national consensus forged by our government against extremist ideologies and ensuring the success of Swat and Malakand operations have proven to be seminal events in our nation's long struggle against terrorism," he said.

Qureshi said the government had already launched offensives against terrorists or militants in Waziristan.

"Terrorists are in retreat, with their top leadership in Malakand and Swat either captured or killed. The leader, Baitullah Mehsud, is dead. Terrorists in the tribal region are in disarray. We are resolved to eliminate them once and for all," he said.

To another question on possible cooperation between Malaysia and Pakistan in fighting global terrorism, Qureshi said that in that region, especially Pakistan, it faced terrorism in a very different way than in South East Asia.

He said Pakistan had a Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat Terrorism with Asean, which included Malaysia, to fight international terrorism.

"The two countries have the same principled position on the subject. We share the same point of view and remain in tandem, in our policy and stand, in international fora, against the scourge of terrorism," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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