Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani urged the international community on Thursday to persuade India to defuse tension with Pakistan and added that soon after the Mumbai terror strikes, he had called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to express concern over the tragedy and sympathise with the families of those aggrieved, as his country was against terrorism, reported The Dawn a local English daily.
Speaking to the media at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, where he laid floral wreaths at the resting places of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Gilani said: “We want excellent relations with our neighbours, whether India or Afghanistan.”
Gilani said: “We agreed to share intelligence with India because Pakistan does not want terrorism anywhere in the world.”
He charged that the Indian government was under mounting public pressure because of failure of its agencies to prevent the Mumbai attacks and, therefore, it was looking for a scapegoat.
“I assure the world and the nation that Pakistan has no aggressive designs and being a responsible country it is against terrorism.” He said that national leader Benazir Bhutto was a victim of terrorism and no one had suffered more than the people of Pakistan.
“We are a responsible nation and do not want war. But a war is imposed on us, our people, the armed forces and the leadership will defend the country,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said: “Whenever we receive proof we will investigate on our own and take people into confidence”.
He said he would assure the world that Pakistan’s soil would not be used for acts of terrorism.
The prime minister said that non-state actors who wanted to destabilise the country and democracy and subvert the mission of late ZA Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto would not be allowed to succeed.
Earlier, addressing a convocation at the King Edward Medical University in Lahore, the Gilani said: “We are a peace-loving, civilised and responsible nation and strongly condemn terrorism in all its manifestations all over the world.”
Speaking to the media at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, where he laid floral wreaths at the resting places of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Gilani said: “We want excellent relations with our neighbours, whether India or Afghanistan.”
Gilani said: “We agreed to share intelligence with India because Pakistan does not want terrorism anywhere in the world.”
He charged that the Indian government was under mounting public pressure because of failure of its agencies to prevent the Mumbai attacks and, therefore, it was looking for a scapegoat.
“I assure the world and the nation that Pakistan has no aggressive designs and being a responsible country it is against terrorism.” He said that national leader Benazir Bhutto was a victim of terrorism and no one had suffered more than the people of Pakistan.
“We are a responsible nation and do not want war. But a war is imposed on us, our people, the armed forces and the leadership will defend the country,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said: “Whenever we receive proof we will investigate on our own and take people into confidence”.
He said he would assure the world that Pakistan’s soil would not be used for acts of terrorism.
The prime minister said that non-state actors who wanted to destabilise the country and democracy and subvert the mission of late ZA Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto would not be allowed to succeed.
Earlier, addressing a convocation at the King Edward Medical University in Lahore, the Gilani said: “We are a peace-loving, civilised and responsible nation and strongly condemn terrorism in all its manifestations all over the world.”
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