President Zardari urges US to review its drone attack policy

Radio Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the United States to revisit its drone attack policy in Pakistani tribal areas. He was talking to a delegation of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee headed by its Chairman Senator Robert Menendez in Islamabad today (Thursday) He termed drone attack as counterproductive that are causing great damage at popular level and stressed the need to find a way out. The president said the sacrifices offered by Pakistan in the fight against militancy must be acknowledged and appreciated. He said Pakistan's armed forces were doing a heroic job despite odds but‚ stretched as they were in the tribal areas‚ they needed to be assisted with resources for long term and sustained counter terrorism operations. About Pakistan-US relations‚ President Zardari said these relations are multifaceted and it would not be proper to see them through one prism only‚ be that Afghanistan or any other. Reiterating that Pakistan looked forward to increased trade through market access instead of aid‚ the President said Pakistan wants increased US investment in Pakistan in energy‚ agro and livestock sectors. Referring to Pakistan-India relations‚ he Pakistan has liberalized trade with India and it wishes to establish friendly‚ cooperative and good neighborly relations with it and peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes. Robert Menendez appreciated the role played by Pakistani and the sacrifices offered by its armed forces‚ security agencies and the people in the fight against militancy. =========== President Asif Ali Zardari has reiterated that the government will continue to undertake every effort for socio-economic uplift of the people and maintaining complete law and order in Balochistan on top priority basis. Talking to Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi in Islamabad‚ he directed to make every effort to apprehend the culprits involved in Quetta carnage. The governor apprised the president about the progress made into investigations of Quetta blast and various measures being taken to bring the culprits to justice.