GEO 436 ISLAMABAD : British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, William Hague informed the Prime Minister that his Government had announced an assistance package of 50 million Pounds for stabilization and reconstruction of the areas affected by militancy on Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed his confidence that the overall Pakistan-UK relations and multifaceted cooperation, particularly in the fields of social sectors, defence, trade, investment and economic assistance will attain new heights under the new British Government. The prime minister was talking to British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, William Hague, who along with his delegation called on him here at the former’’s Chamber in the National Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday. The prime minister while congratulating the Conservative Party on its victory in the recently held general elections in UK, termed it gratifying that seven British nationals of Pakistan origin had been elected to the House of Commons and Baroness Saeeda Warsi had been appointed a member of the Cabinet as well as the Chairperson of the Conservative Party. He hoped that members of the British Parliament of Pakistan origin as well as one million strong Pakistani community in the UK would continue playing their important role as a bridge between the two countries to bring them ever closer. PM Gilani apprised William Hague of the plan prepared by the Government of Pakistan for the sustainable development of FATA region over the next nine years and of development and reconstruction strategy for Malakand and Swat regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He underlined the imperative of making rehabilitation and reconstruction of Malakand and Swat regions as the model project for winning the hearts and minds of the militancy affected people. The prime minister stressed the need for Donor Countries delivering on their pledges made in Tokyo, last year to achieve that objective. While dilating on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the position of his Government that Afghan society needs to re-establish its own equilibrium. The envisaged reconciliation and reintegration process should be Afghan owned and Afghan led, he added. He, however, reiterated his Government’’s full support to such an Afghan led effort. Gilani also noted that the period of extension in stay of 3.5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan had already expired and the relevant UN agencies and international community must now take the required steps for their repatriation to their homeland. He called for introducing of biometrics system, in the meanwhile on Pakistan-Afghanistan border to check the infiltration of un-desirable elements in to both sides. The premier reaffirmed that Pakistan was desirous of friendly, good neighbourly and cooperative relations with India and resumption of the peace process between the two countries through a constructive and result oriented dialogue to resolve all the outstanding issues like Kashmir, Water dispute, Sir Creek, Siachen as well as terrorism. He hoped that the talks between the two Foreign Secretaries on Thursday and between the Home and Interior Ministers over the weekend would pave the way for resumption of long awaited peace process between the two countries. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in his response said that the new British Government wanted to put a new momentum in Pakistan-UK relations by focusing on the sustained broad term ties in the areas of trade, investment and economic cooperation. William Hague assured the Prime Minister that Pakistan could count on UK’’s support in the European Union for the market access as his Government fully recognized Pakistan’’s growing economic difficulties in its role as the frontline state in the war against terror. The UK would remain steadfastly by Pakistan side and help it in every possible way to meet its challenges, he added. UK would keep assisting Pakistan in its endeavours to fight the menace of extremism and terrorism through provision of assistance for eradication of illiteracy and alleviation of poverty. He underlined that UK was actively involved with Pakistan in this regard through the Joint Education Task Force and would be contributing 250 million Pounds for improving literacy and by providing 320 million Pounds to Pakistan as budgetary support for poverty alleviation over the next three years” period.
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