UK stands with Pakistan on war on terror; Miliband

MANCHESTER: The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has expressed his Government’s total commitment to Pakistan on fighting the twin menace of terrorism and extremism saying that it stand shoulder to shoulder as long as it takes.

In his brief remarks at a reception by Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan for the delegates attending the annual Labour Party conference here last night, Miliband said he spoke to President Asif Zardari during his overnight stay in London on way to UN and expressed grief and sorrow at the terrible loss due to bombing of Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

Miliband said the Labour Party observed a minute silence in memory of those killed in Saturday’s incident and this was testimony of how close the two countries are together in eradicating this scourge.

“We reach out to those Britons of Pakistani origin and we say to them you are our friends, our relatives, our neighbours, our fellow citizens and we grieve with you too.
 

“We will stand with Pakistan, people of Pakistan as they fight this evil and we will stand with them shoulder to shoulder as long as it takes,” he said.
   

The Foreign Secretary said the latest attack has brought home the fact that this was not anti-West drive but attack at the heart of the Pakistani society.

He said the Britain would support Pakistan all the way so that the objective of realising a decent society that Pakistanis yearn was achieved. But at the same time, he mentioned that the security problems were mired by social challenges and the Pakistani Government has to increase its budget on social infrastructure including education.

The Foreign Secretary also referred to his upcoming meeting with President Zardari in New York on Friday and said a strong signal will come out from this discussion about the present and clear threat to Pakistan as well as the commitment by the international community on economic and social development of the country.

The Defence Secretary Des Browne in his remarks said UK will consistently support the institution of democracy in Pakistan. He said Pakistan has paid a very heavy price in facing the threat of terrorism.

Browne noted the problem of terrorism and extremism lay on both sides of Pak-Afghan borders and the application of security and building of institution was required to deal with the issue.

Junior Minister for International Development Shahid Malik spoke of the economic assistance being provided to Pakistan and expressed hope that this would go a long way in alleviating poverty. He said Britain has doubled its assistance to Pakistan to 480 million pounds for the next three years.

However, he called on the British Pakistani Diaspora to condemn scourge of terrorism more vociferously and said this latest attack as well as bombing in Wah last month needs to be denounced at all levels of the society.

MP Khalid Mahmood and a former Labour Foreign Secretary Sir Gerald Kaufmann also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the importance of strengthening the democratic institutions in Pakistan. They said Pakistan future lay in democracy which must not be derailed.

 

 

Sept 23, 2008