Visit of Ms Sherry Rehman Minister for Information and Broadcasting

 

 

Information Minister meets with Home Secretary

 

The visiting Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman and the British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith at their meeting at the House of Commons here today discussed matters relating to bilateral ties with special emphasis on co-operation in countering terrorism, militancy and measures against radicalisation.

 

The Information Minister at the start of her three-day official visit to the UK on the invitation of Jacqui Smith, emphasised that over reliance on military option alone would not root out the evil of terrorism and extremism in the area. “It is urgent and in our interest and in the interest of the coalition partners that a holistic approach be adopted to tackle this grave issue,” she said and added the lack of understanding of the ground realities on the part of the coalition partners in the terror war was alienating the local population.

 

The Minister spoke about the adverse impact of unwarranted US incursions in the tribal areas which have caused huge collateral damage and was undermining government’s efforts to rally people to confront and defeat the common threat to their lives and property. The Federal Minister pointed out that Pakistan needs financial support to effectively wage this war and to bring economic stability to the country.

 

She said that the unanimous parliamentary resolution demonstrated the nation’s will to combat terrorism.

 

Underscoring the importance of evolving collective strategy, Ms. Rehman said that broad based moral, political and economic support of the international community needs to be extended to Pakistan to counter these challenges.

 

Appreciating Pakistan’s role in the war on terror, the British Home Secretary said that her government was well aware of its difficulties and challenges and would continue to help overcome these problems.

 

Ms. Smith apprised the Minister about the British model of strategic communication. The task is performed by its Research Information and Communication Unit (RICU) which plans advances and amplifies the objectives in today’s crowded mobile world she said. Their Research, Information and Communication Unit (RICU) which plans advances and amplifies the strategic communication objectives. The Home Secretary also offered help and assistance in developing a similar system in Pakistan.

 

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and senior officials of the High Commission and Home Office were also present at the meeting which lasted 40 minutes.

 

Earlier, the Information Minister met Lord Malloch Brown, Minister for Foreign Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The meeting focused on bilateral matters of co-operation between the two countries particularly the current situation in the tribal areas and Pakistan’s needs for enhanced financial support from the international community to overcome the challenges faced by the country.

 

Ms. Rehman said Pakistan had prepared a comprehensive strategy for FATA combining political engagement, economic development and social reforms.

 

Ms. Rehman said that the country had paid a heavy price due to terrorism on its soil in the form of tragic assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

 

She said that despite myriad of challenges the new democratic government is resolute and the people resilient to steer the country out of the difficult situation.

 

Lord Malloch Brown said that Britain as a true friend had always supported democratic forces in Pakistan and assured that it would continue its co-operation at various levels for the success of the present democratic setup

 

Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan also attended the meeting.

 

 

November 26, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

Information Minister meets Lord Kinnock

 

Pakistan seeks British vocational and technical assistance

Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman, currently visiting the UK, has said technical and vocational training of Pakistani youth would help increased employment opportunities for them inside the country and abroad.

The Minister was talking to the British Council Chair Lord Neil Kinnock at the British Council main office in Central London where they also discussed further meaningful contributions of the Council to Pakistan in the various fields of education and culture.

The two discussed the possibilities of  improving technical and vocational facilities in Pakistan in collaboration with the British Council by setting up poly technical pilot projects in each province which would then be extended to  other cities with the help of private-public partnership.

Lord Kinnock said that British Council was consider to emulate for Pakistan their successful model introduced in Africa which would be run by the Pakistani for the Pakistanis.

Responding to Minister’s suggestion to increase the number of British Council sponsored scholarships in media, humanity and other subjects like history, literature, art and economics, he said that it will be considered at the appropriate level.

The Information Minister also proposed that the Pakistani cultural particularly pop singers may be included in the British Council’s music and cultural programme.

Lord Kinnock agreed with Ms. Rehman to hold film festival as a step to enhance British Council’s cultural activities in Pakistan.

 

 

November 27, 2008