Pak-India hotline on intelligence exchange to benefit both countries: Sherry

 

Condemning the Wednesday’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai in strongest terms, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman said the establishment of hotline between Pakistan and India on intelligence sharing will be of mutual benefit to the two countries and help tackle terrorism.  Wrapping up a three-day official visit to the UK at the invitation of the British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, the Minister told  a new conference on Thursday at the Pakistan High Commission that such a set would aid the two neighbours in combating this menace in a effective manner. She said Pakistan itself has been hit hard by acts of terrorism and extremism and was interested in jointly working with the regional countries to overcome this problem.

The Minister was hopeful that the Mumbai attacks would not a set back to Indo-Pakistan relations and both countries would continue their dialogues on confidence building measures. The Minister spoke about the missile attacks on Pakistan’s sovereignty and said these were exacerbating already inflamed situation and bringing an element of negativity in its effort to confront terrorism. Ms. Rehman spoke of her fruitful discussion with the British Home Secretary and said they exchanged views on strategic communication and training model which could be replicated in Pakistan. According to the Information Minister, the British Home Secretary shared and understood Pakistan’s concern over a series of US attacks on militant targets in Pakistan
territory.

Ms. Rehman said the Pakistan Parliament had recently passed a joint consensus resolution on national security and constituted a Parliamentary Committee to suggest recommendations. She said the recommendations of the Committee would be placed before the Parliament for implementation. She termed the debate on national security in Parliament as a step towards the consolidation of democracy and institutionalising the important organs of the Government. Responding to a question, she appreciated UK’s role vis-à-vis the US missile attacks in the tribal regions and said British understand Pakistan’s concerns in this regard.

Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Press Minister Imran Gardezi were also present at the news conference. Answering another question, she said IMF loan to Pakistan has helped to stabilised the rupee and would also improve the overall national economy and help increase the tax collection. She further said the Benazir Bhutto Income Support

Programme would become operational within three weeks and would assist millions of poor families in overcoming poverty and deprivation.  The Minister said the media policy of PPP government is to promote free media and the party was against all such black laws that curb freedom of information. Ms. Rehman said a bill on access to information would soon be tabled before the Parliament. She emphasised on self-regulation by the Pakistani channels and said the Government has no intention to rein them in. She said it was up to the channels to establish a Press Council acceptable to all the TV networks currently functioning in Pakistan.

On the question of taking the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to the United Nations, she said it would help to investigate the issue at the international level. The Information Minister said the first death anniversary of later Mohtarma on December 27 would be observed in a befitting manner. “We will highlight her role as an international figure who gave up life for the cause of democracy.”  She said PPP believed in working with all the political parties to consolidate democracy in the country and this was the reason why Charter of Democracy was signed with the PML-N. Explaining the measures to strengthen democracy and Parliament, she said Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet daily the sessions regularly and answer questions posed by the Parliamentarians. Ms. Sherry also mentioned the appointment of leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali as chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee and said he was free to summon any government officials or departments to question their working.

 

 

Click here for more news related to Minister Sherry Rehman’s visit to UK