ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will not tolerate infringement of its territory in the name of the fight against militancy while the biggest challenge facing the government is the economy, President Asif Ali Zardari said yesterday.
In his first address to the joint session of the Parliament President Asif Ali Zardari called for peace with neighboring countries, end of terrorism and reiterated that his government was committed to the supremacy of Parliament and complete restoration of democracy.
Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, also said in his first address to a joint sitting of Parliament Pakistan needed peace with its neighbors and relations with old rival India should be “creatively reinvented.”
Zardari won a presidential election this month to replace firm US ally Pervez Musharraf who stepped down in August under threat of impeachment.
He said in order to eradicate terrorism his government would adopt a threepronged strategy — to negotiate with those militants who intend to surrender and wish to live in peace, to provide sufficient funds for the development of tribal areas and establishment of education and health care and to use force against those who do not wish to live in peace.
Frustrated by an intensifying Taleban insurgency in Afghanistan, the United States has stepped up attacks on militants in Pakistan with six missile attacks by pilotless drones and a helicopter-borne ground assault this month.
The US attacks have infuriated many in Pakistan, which is also battling militants, and the army has vowed to stand up to aggression across the border.
But a senior Pakistani official told Reuters earlier the latest missile strike, which killed five militants on Wednesday, was the result of better US-Pakistani intelligence sharing.
Zardari did not refer to the US strikes but said territorial violations were unacceptable. “We will not tolerate the violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity by any power in the name of combating terrorism,” Zardari told Parliament. At the same time, Pakistan must stop militants from using its territory for attacks on other countries, he said.
Zardari said the biggest challenge for the government, which is led by his party, was the economy. The most urgent task was food security for the poor burdened by rising prices, he said, but added that would not be enough.
Acting Finance Minister Naveed Qamar unveiled a package on Friday that included eliminating fuel subsidies, cut its development budget, more privatization and slashing net borrowing from the central bank to zero.
Pakistan’s current account deficit widened to $2.57 billion in July and August, the first two months of the 2008/09 fiscal year. That is equivalent to about 1.6 percent of gross domestic product, compared with a full-year target of 6.0 percent.
Foreign reserves have fallen below $9 billion, having hit a record high of $16.5 billion in October last year, while inflation is more than 25 percent. Pakistani stocks have fallen 35 percent this year and the rupee has weakened by 20 percent. —With input from agencies
