Pakistani Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said India should not get swayed by "partisan considerations" on the decisions arrived at during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Egypt, an apparent reference to uproar in New Delhi over certain aspects of the joint statement.
It is necessary to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan so that the countries could give attention to the problems of the people, he said in an interview to a TV news channel. Replying to a question about Pakistan's relations with India, he said Islamabad has always maintained that the ties "should be on the basis of equality."
The United States has not pressurised India to return to the dialogue table with Pakistan, says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and added that she was "very impressed" with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's discussion with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Egypt.
"Surely, India gave concessions to Pakistan keeping in mind a long term goal. I think Dr Singh has made a sacrifice to gain bigger things in future. We understand he has taken a risk by going against public opinion in India. Dr Singh has shown some flexibility," says Pakistan media expert Hamid Mir.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday issued a joint statement after the completion of their dialogue, on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned summit, at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.Gilani described the talks, the second top-level meeting between India and Pakistan since the terror attack on Mumbai in November last year, as 'free and frank'. Terrorism is a threat to both countries, said the joint statement.
Ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Egypt, Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday said he will approach it with an "open heart and positive mind" as he underlined the need for "building bridges instead of erecting walls". Gilani, who arrived in this Red Sea resort to attend the 15th NAM Summit, said he wanted to improve relations with India and that he would meet Singh with a "positive spirit."
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will meet his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on July 16 on the sidelines of the Non Aligned Movement summit in Egypt "in a bid to restart the stalled peace process" between the two countries.
Addressing a press conference, Karzai said Kabul reserved the right to strike Taliban insurgents on Pakistani soil as a form of self-defence. "Afghanistan has the right of self defence. When the Taliban cross the territory from Pakistan to come and kill Afghans and to kill coalition troops, it exactly gives us the right to go back and do the same," Karzai said.
Making a policy statement in parliament, Gilani said, "As a measure of our tangible display to seek peace with our neighbours, we have decided to freeze, actually reduce, the defence budget when seen in the context of inflation and the rupee-dollar parity." Without naming India, he added: "We hope to see a reciprocal gesture from our neighbour for the sake of peace and prosperity of the region."
Pakistan has expressed hope that resolution of all outstanding matters, including the core issue of Kashmir, with India, would usher in a new era of peace, enabling the two sides to use their scarce resources to overcome pressing problems like poverty and disease.Pakistan has embarked on the composite dialogue process with India "with a sense of responsibility towards the future generations," he said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said the United States should offer Pakistan a civil nuclear cooperation deal similar to the one it finalised with India in order to maintain "balance" in the region.
Pakistan wants "excellent relations" with India even as the two countries work to address "core issues" like the Kashmir dispute, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
United States President George W Bush on Sunday appreciated Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism, as he held talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.During the hour-long meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Middle East in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, Bush lauded Pakistan's initiatives to curb terrorism and extremism, posing threat to the entire world. The two leaders also discussed ways and means to enhance economic cooperation.
When asked about India's demand for extradition of Dawood Ibrahim, who New Delhi says is based in Pakistan, Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani initially refused to comment saying he had 'not studied' the matter or been briefed on it. On being pressed and asked if his government would extradite Ibrahim if the Indian government made a good case, Gilani said, that he had kept an open mind, and that the onus was on India to provide 'authentic proof' in this regard.
Pakistan, which is experiencing 'Mumbai-like attacks almost every other day', cannot guarantee that there will not be a repeat of the 26/11 strikes in India, Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has told the United States."Pakistan is itself facing Mumbai-like attacks almost every other day and when we cannot protect our own citizens, how can we guarantee that there wouldn't be any more terrorist hits in India," Gilani was quoted by a source in the media as saying.
Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said that Pakistan will 'very soon' inform India about the findings of its probe into the Mumbai attacks after conducting a 'proper inquiry, of which transparency will be a focal point'. "We have assured the world that we are conducting a full investigation into the Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks. As soon as we receive the final point of view of the Law Ministry, we will take the world and India into confidence," he said.
Under attack from the international community for not reining in terrorist outfits, Pakistan on Thursday said that it will not allow use of its territory for terror activities."I assure you and I assure the House that I will never ever allow my soil, Pakistani soil to be used for terror activities," Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.Terming the Mumbai incident as 'unfortunate', Gilani said, "We condemn terrorism."
Ruling out the handing over to India of any Pakistani national found to be involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said such persons will be tried in the country under local laws.
Pakistan will conduct its own investigation into the evidence provided by India on the Mumbai terror strikes and punish any person found involved under its own laws, as it cannot allow the country's soil to be used for terrorism, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Monday.Gilani, who had on Sunday ruled out handing over any Pakistani national found to be involved in the Mumbai attacks to any other country, said that Islamabad was not acting on anyone's pressure.
Pakistan is conducting its own probe into the evidence received from India on Mumbai terror attacks but no Pakistani national found to be involved in the incident will be handed over to any other country, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday."We are conducting our own investigation and once we have completed it, we will bring the findings before the people," Gilani said, adding that the evidence provided by India was being examined by investigators.
India said on Saturday that it has received no reply from Pakistan to the dossier of evidence on Mumbai terror attacks as claimed by Islamabad.
All is not well between Pakistan's top two leaders with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani taking exception to "increasing interference" by President Asif Ali Zardari in the day-to-day running of the government, a media report said today.
Amid strains in ties with India over the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani voiced his opposition to war and vowed not to allow his country's soil to be used for terrorism.
Ruling out the possibility of a war with India in the wake of heightened tensions, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday alleged the Indian government was trying to find a scapegoat to cover up for the intelligence failure behind the Mumbai terror attacks. "My assessment is that there will not be a war," he said in Lahore.
Nuclear weapons will not be used, in case, a war breaks out between Indian and Pakistan, said Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar on Tuesday.This was reported by a Pakistani website.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that Pakistan will produce evidence of India's alleged involvement in fomenting unrest in the tribal areas and Balochistan when there is a need to do so.
After the meeting, Dr Singh said, "I had a very good meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani. We reviewed the state of our relationship. We expressed happiness at the resumption of trade on the two routes in Jammu and Kashmir. We also discussed possibilities of increased trade between our two countries, the visa regime. And, he told me about their commitment to the success of the joint terror mechanism talks."
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday said that India is keen to bring peace and harmony with Pakistan.
In an apparent bid to counter the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Pakistan plans to seek fuel technology from China for 10 new atomic power plants it intends to set up over the next two decades.
Pak PM Gilani said he would conduct an investigation into the attack on India's mission in Kabul.
The US has said its policy on the Kashmir issue that it should be resolved bilaterally remains unchanged, days after Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani sought its support in the settlement of the problem with India.
On arrival at the Andrews Air Force Base in Washington on Sunday afternoon, Gilani had to walk from his aircraft to a welcome shed, a distance covered in two to three minutes. While walking this distance, Gilani and his wife 'were seen quite perturbed as neither there was an ordinary carpet nor the customary red carpet, as is usual on official visits', The News daily reported.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has demanded from the US a nuclear deal similar to the one Washington has made with India, assuring that the nuclear proliferation network of its scientist A Q Khan was broken and will not be repeated.
The death toll in the deadly suicide bombing near the Lal Masjid in Islamabad rose to 20 with a policeman succumbing to his injuries on Monday even as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the attack was aimed at destabilising Pakistan.
Pakistan People's Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has categorically said that Yousuf Raza Gilani will be the country's new prime minister for five years and not for three months. Zardari said that he himself is not interested in the job, as is being implied. Local daily The News quoted him as saying that Gilani slept in Adiyala jail without any proper bed for three months but he never contacted his powerful friends and influential relatives for help.
Pakistan does not want a war with India but was "prepared" to defend itself if aggression is imposed on the country in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Monday. "We don't want to get involved in a war. I want to assure the House and the people that we do not want war, but if aggression is thrust on us, we will stand united as a proud nation," Gilani told the National assembly or lower house of parliament.
Top Lashkar-e-Tayiba members Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi and Zarar Shah, both linked to the Mumbai attacks, have been detained by Pakistani security agencies and the law will take its own course if they are found involved in acts of terror, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.
The Karachi-based anti-corruption court issued warrants after Federal Investigation Agency reportedly found evidence that Gilani and his minister Faheem were involved in the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scandal.
But contempt petitions against sitting prime ministers are nothing new in Pakistan.
The military establishment is in no mood to forgive or forget Imran's anti-military utterances, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RAW, India's external intelligence agency.
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