Pakistan determined to fight terrorism to ensure peace in region: Firdous

Pakistan is committed to fight terrorism and will always support the steps taken to ensure peace and stability in the region, Federal Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said in interviews with Chinese media after attending China-Eurasia Forum being held in Urumqi.
She said China and Pakistan were working in close coordination for peace in the region and both the countries had mechanism in place for intelligence sharing. Condemning the action of banned East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Kashgar, the information minister said that the foreign ministries of both the countries have already issued statements in this regard.
“They keep on changing their strategies and actions,” Firdous said. “So we must work in close collaboration,” she added. She said peace in Pakistan was a prerequisite for the stability in the region.
To a question about Pakistan and American relations after recent episodes, Firdous said “Some communication gap was created due to Bin Ladin issue,” adding “but, keeping our national interest in mind, our relations are moving forward.” She said Pakistan would only help the US as long as the ‘war on terror’ was “not at the cost of our own security.”
She said the people to people contact should be strengthened between Pakistan and China, adding that the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) was planning to formulate specific segment of news sharing in Chinese.
She said the government was also planning to show Chinese documentaries, programmes and drams in Pakistan, adding that interaction between Radio Pakistan and China Radio International (CRI) would also be increased. She said Pakistan was seeking the help of the Chinese government to establish a media university.
Pakistani officials at the forum have proposed constructing a cross-border railway to link its northern border with Kashgar, an old Silk Road town and today’s major city in southern Xinjiang. Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khan told Xinhua that a feasibility study of the railway had been conducted but there was still no time-table for starting the construction.
“By using this option, you can shorten China’s trading routes from the Gulf to Shanghai by about 5,000 miles. It is very short,” Khan said, adding that talks about a cross border pipeline that can carry oil and gas to China via inland Eurasia have also begun.