Gilani for 'individual, collective' action against terrorism

Colombo, Aug 2 (PTI) Identifying extremism and terrorism
as "major challenges" confronting South Asia, Pakistan Premier
Yousuf Raza Gilani Saturday asked S.A.A.R.C. countries to
fight the menace "individually and collectively."

"Extremism and terrorism are major challenges in our
region," Gilani said while condemning the July 7 suicide
attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul.

India as well as Afghanistan have blamed the I.S.I. for
the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul which killed nearly
60 people, including four Indians. The involvement of the
I.S.I. in the attack has been confirmed by the US as well as
British intelligence agencies.

Addressing the 15th summit of the eight-nation S.A.A.R.C.
grouping here, Gilani said Pakistan had also been a victim of
terrorism and lost former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in a
terror attack in December last year.

"We have to fight terrorism individually and
collectively," Gilani said while welcoming the agreement of
S.A.A.R.C. Foreign Ministers on the draft Mutual Legal
Assistance Agreement in criminal matters.

The Pakistan Premier expressed the hope that more steps
would be taken when Home Ministers of S.A.A.R.C. countries
meet in Islamabad later this year.

Earlier Gilani, at a dinner hosted by the Pakistan High
Commissioner here Friday night, outlined his vision for South
Asia as a region of sustainable peace and prosperity.

He noted that Pakistan and India were engaged in a
dialogue process to resolve all issues, including that of
Kashmir, Pakistan's official APP news agency reported.

The S.A.A.R.C. region, the Pakistan Prime Minister said,
was facing a number of challenges presently which included
energy, food and environment issues.

He emphasised the need for intra-regional trade among the
S.A.A.R.C. nations to compete in the globalised world and meet
its challenges.

Gilani also spoke of the challenges that Pakistan was
facing in its tribal areas and said the government has adopted
a three-pronged strategy to address the issue, the report
said.

He said his government did not wish to go for the
military action to resolve the problem in the tribal belt and
its priority was to engage in political dialogue.