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Dubai: Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that both Pakistan and India are victims of terrorism.
"We strongly condemn any terrorist attack," he told reporters in Dubai on Wednesday, reiterating that his country should not be blamed for attack on Indian embassy in Kabul.
He said the blame game should end and the neighbouring countries should join hands in war against terrorism. "The United States had also already stated that Pakistan was not involved in the Indian embassy attack," said the Prime Minister.
He said his government was following a three-pronged strategy to fight terrorism which focussed on dialogue with peaceful and non-militant tribesmen, socio-economic development of the areas bordering Afghanistan and use of force if agreements were violated. He said the government would not talk to militants or those refusing to lay down arms.
Gilani was received by Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on his arrival at the Dubai airport from Kaula Lumpur, where he had gone to attend the Developing Eight - a conference of Islamic countries.
"I am here to meet Mr Zardari," Gilani quipped when asked, why he came to Dubai unscheduled. Zardari held his arm and walked away laughing before he could answer any more questions.
Gilani's unscheduled visit to Dubai sparked speculation among the Pakistani expatriate community in the UAE and the diplomats while reporters were barred from meeting him.
"We have instructions from the Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai not to allow press near the Prime Minister," said a staff member at a Dubai hotel and asked journalists to leave the premises.
This led to hot arguments between the media and the hotel management. Photographers and reporters were also pushed away when the Prime Minister arrived.
Meetings
"Though the PM is on a private visit, we did not ask any one to stop press. However, there was no press briefing scheduled," said an official from the consulate. Supporters of the PPP also vent their anger at the officials as they were kept away.
Soon after coming to the hotel, Gilani went into meeting with Zardari and some other important PPP leaders. Malik Abdul Qayyum, the attorney general of Pakistan, Qamar Zaman Qaira, the Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, the adviser on finanical affairs, and a number of other party leaders were also present in the meeting.
Another round of meeting which will be attended by a larger number of PPP leaders is being held today.
A source close to the Prime Minister told Gulf News that they were here to discuss certain issues related to the coalition government. "Matters related to the upcoming strike of lawyers for restoration of the deposed Supreme Court judges and giving respectable exit to President Pervez Musharraf would also be discussed," he said.
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