Zardari terms Sistan bombers enemies of Pakistan, Iran

President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that those involved in the heinous terrorist attack in Sistan Province of Iran were the enemies of both the countries who did not want relations between them to flourish.

The President said this while talking to Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Muhammad Najjar and his delegation who called on him at the Presidency on Sunday afternoon, the President office said.

Zardari said that such incidents should not be allowed to cast their shadow on the friendly relations existing between Pakistan and Iran.

The President said that the whole region is facing the common enemy of militancy and urged for a joint strategy and mutual cooperation to curb violent extremism.

The President while offering condolences and sympathies to the government and people of Iran for the loss of precious lives in the Sistan attack said that Pakistan will extend all possible cooperation to help track down and punish the terrorists behind the Sistan attack which is a crime against humanity.

The President stressed for more coordinated intelligence cooperation between the two sides to forestall the efforts of those elements that seek to create misgivings between the two countries.

He expressed the hope that bilateral cooperative projects between the two countries will continue as before and will not be impacted adversely by the incident.

The President while appreciating Iran’s contribution of US $330 million at the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum said that Pakistan highly values its close brotherly ties with Iran.

The Iranian Interior Minister thanked the President for Pakistan’s offer of cooperation to track down the terrorists.

Those who attended the meeting included interior minister Senator Rehman Malik, Secretary General to the President Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary Foreign affairs, Secretary Interior and senior officials. The Iranian ambassador in Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri and members of the Iranian minister’s delegation were also present.

Iran demanded the Pakistani government hand over those claimed responsibility for the terror attack on Iran on october 18 or allow Iranian security forces to arrest them inside Pakistani territory.

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