Boucher comes to end PPP-'N' differences: Gilani rules out talks with militants

The Congressional delegation included Senator Benjamin Cardin, Congressman Zach Wamp, Congressman Robert Aderholt, Congressman Mike McIntyre and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.  The meeting was also attended by Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior, Mr. Rehman Malik, Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security, Mr. Mahmud Durrani, and Acting Secretary, Foreign Affairs.

APP adds:  During a meetng with Boucher, the Premier said it is often not realised that one incident of terrorism in Pakistan leads to flight of foreign capital from the country besides discouraging the flow of foreign investment.

The PM said the government in consultation with the coalition partners has adopted a three-pronged strategy to deal with terrorism by initiating political talks with those elements who have laid down arms and have joined mainstream political activity, accelerating the pace of economic development and reserving the right to use force if agreements are violated. “We will however never negotiate with militants nor allow foreigners to use our soil against another country,” he said.

The PM said the government has received a lot of public support for the action being taken against the militants in tribal areas during the last couple of days.  

Our Monitoring Desk adds: President Pervez Musharraf has said that the terrorists and extremists would not be allowed to use Pakistan land, reports a private TV channel.

In a meeting with the US Senators in Rawalpindi, President Musharraf said all the movements at the borders were being closely monitored. He said that all options, including talks with the tribal leaders, were being used in order to eliminate terrorism. He conveyed his concern to the US Senators over the Mohmand Agency incident.

The US Senators said that they supported long-lasting and durable ties with Pakistan and demanded that all the stakeholders in the war against terrorism should be taken into confidence as regards peace deals in the tribal areas.

Terming the Mohmand Agency incident as tragic, the US Senators said that every possible effort would be made to avoid such incidents in future.

Online adds: President Musharraf backed launching of operation by security forces against extremists in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas.

On the other hand, while talking to a delegation of US Congressmen, the President made it clear to them that no one would be allowed to play with the lives of innocent people, saying that that time had come for launching an operation by security forces against extremists in Fata.

He urged US delegation to address the root cause of problems which were forcing the people in Fata to indulge in extremism because.