Munich Conference: Poverty provides recruits to terror, says Asif

ISLAMABAD: Lack of economic activity breeds extremism and provides dispensable foot soldiers to the perpetrators of terrorist acts, Federal Minister for Defence, Water and Power Khawaja Asif said on Saturday. He was addressing the participants of a debate titled Economy Talks, Prosperous Pakistan - Strategies 2030, organised by the GATE-Pakistan, a German Economic Forum on the sidelines of 51st Munich Security Conference in Munich, said a press release received here. The minister invited German investors to tour Pakistan, the world’s sixth largest country and the fourth largest workforce. The country boasts the youngest population in the world with 54 per cent under 19 year of age. “Pakistan should not be seen through the prism of Afghanistan crises and the propaganda being spread by the enemies who did not want to see a progressive and prosperous Pakistan,” the defence minister said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2015.