President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said US President George W Bush respects Pakistan’s sovereignty. Addressing a press conference here, Zardari said Europe and the United States support Pakistani people.
Regarding the Kashmir issue, the president assured that he would hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue. "The people will have to realise that we are at war… terrorism cannot be eliminated by having wishes and hopes," he said.
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir adds: Pakistan will take up the water issue with India when President Asif Ali Zardari meets Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at the United Nations headquarters on the sidelines of the 63rd summit of the UN General Assembly here on Thursday.This was stated by President Zardari at a press conference at his hotel here on Wednesday.
"I will take up the question of reduced water supplies in rivers flowing from India when I meet Prime Minister Singh, as it could impact on the country’s vital agriculture sector."The president was flanked by Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani, National Security Adviser General Mehmud Ali Durrani and Pakistan’s permanent representative at the United Nations Hussain Haroon.
The Chenab River will be one of the major issues during the talks scheduled later in the day on the sidelines of the UNGA."We need to do something about it," President Zardari said, reflecting the concern Pakistan feels about the unannounced reduction in water flow in the Chenab River in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
President Zardari, without elaborating, said his discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will encompass all issues affecting the relations between the two countries.In his first interaction with the press since his arrival in New York, the president said the new democratic government was trying to improve relations with India and said he had already announced a caucus on the Kashmir issue.
"We have taken into confidence all political forces in Pakistan," he said, adding the people of Pakistan and India need to move forward to resolve the issue. He termed Kashmir the core issue between the two countries and said it has been defined by late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Ms Benazir Bhutto.
About measures being taken by the new leadership to resolve the Kashmir issue, the president said Pakistan was trying to seek a solution bilaterally, and nothing could be better if the two governments can resolve it on their own.
However, he said: "If needed we can always go back to the United Nations." Zardari described the uprising in Kashmir as "indigenous" and reiterated his government’s firm moral support to the people of Kashmir.
Asked to elaborate on one of his earlier statements that there would be good news on Kashmir, Zardari said Kashmir remains the core issue between India and Pakistan and every Pakistani government has viewed it this way. The Pakistani position is well known. However, the problem can be resolved through people-to-people dialogue. He said his government would like to settle outstanding issues with its neighbours bilaterally and by talking to them.
President Zardari said incursions by foreign troops across the border with the tribal areas and drone flights over Pakistani areas are weakening Pakistan’s efforts against the terrorists and such activities are not helping in the endeavours of winning hearts and minds of the people.
When asked if in his meeting with President George Bush, he had been given the assurance that there would be no more incursions or attacks into Pakistani territory, the president replied that the US president’s statements on the subject were indicative of his mindset. It was clear that without being specific, the Pakistani leader was satisfied that there would not be a repetition of such attacks. He said the two sides were in constant dialogue and Pakistan considers such attacks to be counter-productive and not likely to win the hearts and minds of the people.
When told by a reporter that the US assurances extended to Pakistan vis-a-vis the war on terrorism were no good, he replied that there were weaknesses indeed but "we are trying to turn those weaknesses into strengths". He also said that they have made mistakes and we have made mistakes but we are going to revisit those mistakes and correct them. He said although he hopes for the best, hope is not a plan. He denied that the ISI issue had come up for discussion during his meeting with Bush.
To a question about the Iran-Pakistan pipeline, Zardari said market forces would need to be brought in to make the project a reality since as much as $6 billion is required to put it on the ground.
Asked if his party’s parting of ways with the PML-N was permanent, he said he has a lot of respect for Nawaz Sharif and consider him his elder brother but there are some hawks in his party and there has been talk of fresh elections. They are not advising their leader properly, he added.
As to what he was doing to introduce a culture of austerity in Pakistan, he replied that he would lead by example and cited his travel by a commercial airline as an example of how he would set the austerity campaign into motion.
Zardari made several references to how he would like to go down in history. He said he would like to be remembered as someone who had abided by the struggle for democracy carried out by the PPP. He also made many references to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, whose legacy, he committed, to carrying forward.
To a question regarding his meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Zardari spoke about a new chapter in the relations between the two countries, adding: "I am the new face of democracy in Pakistan." He also reiterated his strong desire to improve relations with India.
As for the proposal that there should be joint patrolling of the Pak-Afghan border, he said if the proposal was brought up formally, it would be considered. As for Pakistan’s difficult economic situation, he said: "We are getting a sympathetic hearing."
Referring to honour killing in Pakistan, Zardari replied in an emotional tone that he is the father of two daughters, the brother of three sisters and has a legacy of a great lady and this issue is very close to his heart. He said Benazir Bhutto is always by his side and he is guided by her principles and is inspired by her ideals. He also noted that those responsible for the murder of five Baloch women, who were seen to have defied tribal customs, had been arrested.
About the UN investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, Zardari said that it had been taken up and the fact was that the United Nations itself had condemned it in a resolution. He did not agree with the proposition that the probe by the world body could have any adverse impact.
Agencies add: President Zardari said parliament was in charge of the ISI. Therefore, all issues, including missing persons, would be solved on the floor of the National Assembly. Similarly, while talking about Dr Aafia Siddiqui, he said the government was providing all moral and financial support for the early release of Dr Aafia.
"It is due to the efforts of the government that the return of the Aafia’s son was made possible," he said.While talking about his visit to China, Zardari said his first official visit would be to China.
Calling the anti-terrorism fight a tough challenge, the president said he is endeavouring to secure international and regional support on taking forward the struggle holistically with a simultaneous thrust on political, economic and security dimensions.
"I have discussed the situation with world leaders, including President Bush, and we are pursuing the idea of a regional conference towards broader ownership of the struggle and moving forward with a much greater emphasis on the battle for hearts and minds," he said.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance to protect its sovereignty in the fight against terror and at the same time stressed that the country needs international support to give hope for better economic opportunities to the people in the remote areas.