Military operation to be last option to stem militancy: PM

MULTAN: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani here Monday said that military operation will be the last option to stem militancy in the Frontier areas. Addressing a press conference at Multan Airport he said at the moment civilian government is taking action to deal with the militants and miscreants in THE troubled regions.
He said the army will be called only when the civilian government asks for its help and in that case too the military action will be in aid of the civilian government.
The Prime Minister said the incumbent coalition government did not enter into any agreement with any group in the Frontier areas. Rather, these agreements were reached by the previous government, he added.
He said the coalition government wanted to hold dialogue with those who want to give up militancy but due to the breach of previous agreements by the militants the government had to review its policy.
The Prime Minister said it was not possible to hold dialogue with those elements who kidnap innocent people, take citizens hostage, behead the abducted and set girls schools on fire.
He rejected as a total misconception the notion that the action against militants was being taken at the behest of the United States or Afghanistan. Our own internal security needs required the ongoing civilian government action against the militants, he added.
The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his younger brother Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gillani, MPA Ahmed Hassan Daher and PPP provincial information secretary Khawaja Rizwan Alam, said that he had a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan and Afghanistan have unanimity of views on security issues.
He said Karzai’s recent remarks were quoted out of context and this created the impression of a threat to Pakistan which was not the case at all.
To a question regarding Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s observations about the operation, the Prime Minister said a strategic briefing had been arranged for the coalition partners and the Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiani had briefed them about the issue. He said there was no difference of opinion among them.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan and United States enjoy very cordial and friendly relations which will further grow in the times to come.
He said in many areas like economy, social and health sectors the US is extending a lot of assistance to Pakistan. He said this morning US assistant secretary of state Richard Boucher called on him and both held comprehensive talks to further strengthen the cooperation between the two friendly countries.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said he expects to meet President George W. Bush on July 28 during his forthcoming visit to the US. He expressed the confidence that the relations between the two allies would be further bolstered as a result of his talks with the US president.
He said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his recent visit to Delhi had conveyed his invitation to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who would pay an official visit to Islamabad very soon.
The Prime Minister said he himself might also attend the SAARC moot and meet his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the conference.
To a question about the deposed judges, the Prime Minister said they were released by him and their salaries were paid by him. He assured that the judges would be reinstated.
The Prime Minister said the coalition government will remain intact and there was no threat to it at all.
About the hike in petrol and diesel prices he said the previous government had been giving heavy subsidy on oil thereby piling up the burden. He said the situation now was that the government had to pay subsidy of Rs 1.2 billion per day only on oil.
The Prime Minister said the World Bank, IMF and other donors were pressing the government to withdraw subsidies or face stoppage of financial assistance by them. So, he said the government had to take necessary steps.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the unprecedented surge in international oil price and the cost of food items was a global phenomenon and Pakistan was no exception.
To a question about situation in Balochistan, the Prime Minister said he had released several imprisoned Baloch leaders and the coalition government was determined to rectify the past wrongs and discrimination meted out to this province. He said that Balochistan will get its due share and rights.
About the economic situation of the country he said it was heading in the right direction and the economy would be fortified by prudent policies.
He said the government would soon announce its incentives-oriented energy policy and hoped that it would attract massive foreign investment in the energy sector.
At the domestic level too the government is taking appropriate steps to increase power generation and augment energy conservation. He said the government was in touch with brotherly Iran to import energy.
Within the next one or two years the energy crisis will be over, the Prime Minister said.
About load-shedding in Multan, he said he would ask the minister for water and power to look into the matter.
To another question the Prime Minister said that the Parliament is sovereign and supreme and President Pervez Musharraf has himself said that he would accept the verdict of the Parliament about his fate.
Answering a question, he said the root-causes of the trouble in FATA and adjoining areas were hunger, poverty and unemployment and these ought to be addressed forthwith.
He said people there are peace-loving and they want healthcare facilities, employment, trade opportunities. He said appropriate measures are being contemplated to remove their deprivations.
The Prime Minister said that PPP had won seats in the by-elections and he disagreed with a questioner who stated that the PPP’s popularity graph was declining.
About the religious schools, he said they will be regulated so that along with religious education the students could acquire modern education too and successfully compete with their counterparts from conventional schools.