Energy crises, not ‘war on terror’ is priority now: Kaira

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The US-led War on Terror is no longer a priority of the Government of Pakistan, said Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday.
Instead, the minister said, his government was focused more on seeking short and long term solutions to the lingering energy crises that have paralyzed socio-economic life in the country.
“Unlike past, today our priority is energy crises,” the minister said adding “Today our biggest problem is energy,” Kaira told reporters at Karachi Press Club.
To a query, he said decision to restore Nato supplies through Pakistani land routes would be taken on the basis of recommendations of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet. What was encouraging, the information minister said, was the “urge” on the two sides to engage mutually.
“Displeasing a super power has a heavy cost and repercussions that have to be borne by all of us,” he reminded the detractors widely speculating that President Zardari would announce restoration of Nato supplies at Nato summit. “Against the misperceptions here the President did not announce the restoration of Nato supplies at Chicago summit,” Kaira said.
Asked about the reported killing of an al-Qaeda Number 2 Abu Yahya al-Libi in a drone strike in Pakistan’s tribal region, Kaira said he had no confirmation of the incident yet.
Recalling the past four years’ achievements of and challenges faced by the PPP-led coalition government, the information minister said centrifugal feelings were stronger when the PPP came to power in 2008. The provinces were not ready to sit with the center, deeming the latter as exploiters of their resources.
Then, he claimed, Pakistani state was shrinking and the Taliban were, perceivably, 60-kilometer away from Islamabad. It was impossible to hoist national flag or play the national anthem in Balochistan. Pakistan was diplomatically isolated worldwide with even no Muslim countries standing by it.
“We though not entirely have dismantled major terror groups,” the information minister said and called upon some political parties which were, mistakenly, supporting the anti-government elements. The coalition government deserved credit for taking a unanimous stand on the Nato supply issue, he said.
Kaira said that nobody will allow ‘Mian Brothers’ to derail the democratic government by acting undemocratically. He said the strike call and agitation of provincial government against the federal government is disappointing and advised the leadership of the PML-N not to convert assemblies into wrestling courts.
The Minister said that installing tents near Minar-e-Paksitan would not bring any change to the conditions of the people. He said his party would not allow the local body elections in Punjab on non-party basis.
Kaira claimed there was no dispute over sharing of water among the provinces and blamed the so-called intellectuals for creating the rift.

1 COMMENT

  1. During the last five years PPP did nothing except squandering the resources of the country. Eighteenth amendment was carried out to console the heads of two political parties. BISF created to purchase PPP supporters at tax payer’s expense. Now only 22 days are left for the assemblies to dissolve automatically. This period is not sufficient to stop load shedding. PPP a non- registered political party, having its newly grown major Balawal as Chairman under the strict supervision of his father as Co-chairman, reigning in the legally registered PPPP, headed by Amin Fahim, is now at the horns of dilemma, and is completely confused. and bewildered.

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