Sovereignty uppermost, Gilani tells Cameron

PM assured of Britain’s full support following the Charsadda atrocity.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said the twin suicide bombings in Charsadda will not break the resolve of the Pakistan government to fight militancy.

In a telephonic conversation with British Prime Minister David Cameron on Sunday, he said the people who have accepted responsibility for the atrocity in Charsadda have reacted to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Gilani said that Pakistan would ensure its support and cooperation towards eliminating terrorism, keeping the sovereignty of the country uppermost.

“Pakistan is committed to working with the rest of the world to eradicate terrorism. It will also take care of its national interests,” he said.

Cameron informed Gilani that US President Barrack Obama is scheduled to visit Britain next week and Pakistan’s message would be conveyed to him.

The British premier expressed his condolence over the killing of over 90 frontier constabulary personnel who lost their lives in
the suicide attack in Charsadda. Cameron assured Gilani that Britain knew
full well Islamabad was facing political turmoil, which was exacting a heavy toll on its men and material. He assured his country’s full support to Pakistan at this time of crisis.

Meanwhile, Permanent Undersecretary of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Simon Fraser met Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir Sunday afternoon where the situation arising from the Abbottabad operation and the Afghan peace process came under discussion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2011.