Gilani urges provision of technology to stem militancy
* PM says gadgets will help reduce cross-border infiltration by 80%
* Pakistan surrogate for no one, fighting to save soul of homeland
* Pakistan surrogate for no one, fighting to save soul of homeland
WASHINGTON: Pakistan would hit targets on its side of the border with Afghanistan if the US provides intelligence and sophisticated technology to intercept cross-border communication between militants on both sides, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Gilani reiterated Pakistans strong opposition to any unilateral anti-terrorism action on its soil and urged the US to enhance the countrys counter-terrorism capacity to stem militant activity along the Pak-Afghan border.
We dont have the sophisticated weapons Predators or others if Pakistan had the capacity and the information, we could hit [such targets] ourselves. Otherwise, its a violation and nobody [in Pakistan] will like it, he said.
Gadgets: Specific requests, Gilani said, include devices to intercept and block radio transmissions between extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan. With them, he added, 80 percent of cross-border infiltrations would be stopped. It wont cost much, but we dont have the gadgets, the premier said.
His governments strategy for the border regions, Gilani said, includes talks with non-militants ... who [lay] down their arms and [enter] the mainstream, and addressing the root cause of extremism with economic aid.
But [the option of use of] force is there, he said. When all these things dont work, we have to [take] action.
Surrogate: Pakistan is no ones surrogate in the fight against extremists, Gilani said, adding, We are fighting to save the soul of our homeland.
Also on Tuesday, Gilani met US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates and discussed with him the security situation in Pakistan along its Afghan border.
The two leaders discussed challenges in the wake of terrorism and extremism in the Tribal Areas, and the steps required to be taken in this regard. app
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan