ISLAMABAD, December 24: President Mamnoon Hussain said on Sunday the main cause of terrorism is foreign intervention, and that counter-terrorism measures taken by Pakistan have broken the backbone of terrorists in the country.
Addressing the inaugural session of the First Speakers’ Conference hosted by the National Assembly of Pakistan and attended by the parliamentary heads from six regional countries here, the president said Pakistan was playing its role for the development and prosperity of the region. He expressed hope that terrorism will soon be completely eliminated from the country.
The president said Pakistan had been dragged into the war-quagmire after the tragic 9/11 incident .
The conference was attended by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Speaker of the Wolisi Jirga of Afghanistan Abdul Rauf Ibraheemi, Speaker of the Shoora-e-Islami of Iran Dr. Ali Larejani, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia Volodin Vyacheslav Viktorovich, Speaker of Grand Turkish Assembly Ismail Kehrman and Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress of China Zhang Ping.
Among the audience were also Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, President Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Pakistan Muslim League’s Mushahid Hussain Sayed, parliamentarians and delegates from different countries.
The president said that due to the circumstances following the 9/11 ,the law & order in Pakistan was adversely affected.
He said the terrorism had created immense problems in several countries of the region with Pakistan being the most affected during the last few years, more than 70,000 Pakistanis had lost their lives in acts of terrorism besides bearing a financial loss of more than 120 billion dollars.
He told the gathering that Pakistan had initiated comprehensive steps to cope with the situation under the National Action Plan in different parts of the country while an effective action has been taken in tribal areas under Operation Zrb-e-Azb operation.
“As a result of these steps of Government of Pakistan, the terrorists have received a severe blow. I am sure that, this issue will be addressed completely in the near future,” said the President.
Welcoming the guests to the federal capital, the president hoped that the conference would prove extremely beneficial in combating the challenges being faced by the region as well as to utilize the opportunities for regional development and prosperity.
He viewed that during course of the conference, the interactions and consultations among the participating countries would bring them even closer understanding of each other, as well as a source of opening new vistas of possible cooperation.
President Mamnoon said that the geography, common values of opinions and similar conditions provide Pakistan, Iran, China, Turkey, Russia and Afghanistan wider opportunities to work in unison for the development and prosperity of their people.
“Our geographical proximity has the potential of changing the course of history,” he remarked.
He said the roads and railway lines of China Pakistan Economic Corridor were linking the region with the whole world through Pakistan. – Agencies
