ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari said no one should underestimate the will of the people of Pakistan, the resilience of its institutions and the commitment of the democratic leadership to address the challenges and steer Pakistan toward greater stability and economic progress.
In a statement before leaving for a two-day visit to Iran, Zardari said that with the political process having evolved in a vibrant and strident manner, there was no fear of the derailment of democracy. All stakeholders were committed to ensuring the success and sustainability of the democratic process in the country, he said.
“Pakistan is today a vibrant and functioning democracy with a free media and a dynamic civil society. We have an ongoing energetic public discourse. The democratic process and our institutional capacity are gaining strength. Let there be no doubt or mistake about it,” he said.
“Pakistan’s international conduct is reflective of the ethos of our people, who place a high premium on dignity and self-respect and wholeheartedly believe in the vision and promise of the United Nations and international society based on norms of peace and stability as enshrined in the Charter. Pakistan does not believe in the policies of expediency. This is in fact our greatest asset,” Zardari added.
Despite challenges, our economy is resilient. Our fundamentals are strong. We have a large and talented work force and the country has vast resources waiting to be fully tapped, he said.
The Pakistan People’s Party draws its strength from the people of Pakistan and is not only a repository of their trust but also epitomizes their hopes and aspirations, he said.
Our focus on fighting extremism and terrorism remains strong and cannot be diluted. The people of Pakistan have made tremendous sacrifices in this fight and are determined to see the return of peace, stability and prosperity in the region, he said.
Zardari will meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other senior leaders, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Abdul Basit said.
“Both sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with a focus on greater cooperation in the communication and energy sectors,” Basit said.
Pakistan is keen to secure greater access to the Iranian market for its products.
Zardari and Iranian officials also plan to discuss a proposed $7.6 billion natural gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan and India.
Zardari is also scheduled to attend the concluding session of the Economic Cooperation Organization summit in Tehran.
He left Pakistan as opposition parties and lawyers' groups prepared for countrywide protests against his government this week.
