Foreign policy has to change to end militancy: Yousafzai

Health minister says the centre needs to distance itself from militancy, not call it Pakistan’s war.

PESHAWAR:

Establishing peace in the country is closely tied with making drastic changes in foreign policy, health minister Shaukat Yousafzai said on Saturday.

“Nothing changes with a change in government. Establishing peace is tied with change in foreign policy,” Yousafzai told participants of Khyber Union of Journalist’s programme, ‘Meet the Press’ at the Peshawar Press Club, where he was the chief guest.



Yousafzai urged the federal government to take the national leadership on board and create a comprehensive policy on terrorism. “Those who think the menace of terrorism will not go beyond K-P to engulf other regions are mistaken.”

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will extend its support to the centre if the federal government announces an anti-drone policy, said the health minister. Establishing peace in the region is PTI’s utmost priority, he added.

To prevent incidents of terrorism in the region, the provincial government wants to enhance the role of intelligence agencies to avert any untoward incidents, shared Yousafzai. However, he said the use of force alone cannot end militancy as it is an international conflict. Yousafzai went on to add, the federal government needs to distance itself from the conflict and not call it Pakistan’s war.



He also announced Rs0.3 million as compensation for the families of those killed in the suicide blast at Hussania Madrassah and Rs100,000 for injured victims.

Replying to a question on the Afghan peace talks, Yousafzai said the Afghan people are competent enough to solve their own problems; Pakistan and the US should not interfere in the peace process.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2013.