SEPT 30- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said dialogue will be the top priority of his government in curbing terrorism and improving law and order in Pakistan.
The comments from Sharif came while he was addressing a large gathering of Pakistani-Americans at a reception hosted in his honour by the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York.
He said that the wrongs done to Pakistan under dictatorial rule would be fixed by his government, which has drawn an elaborate plan to step up economic development through a series of projects in infrastructure, energy, educational fields, and intra-regional economic corridor.
According to the Daily Times, he said that they will surely face some challenges, but they are determined to improve the law and order and curb terrorism- for which they will hold dialogue as the priority way.
He cited his interaction with the Chinese and Turkish leaders and said economic corridor from Khunjrab to Gwadar and then establishment of road linkage between Pakistan, Kabul and Central Asian countries onward would help spur trade and economic activity in the country, the report added.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Taliban has said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has no authority to hold dialogue with militants.
In an interview, Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) spokesman on Saturday said only the Pakistani military has the authority to hold talks, reported the Geo News.
The Taliban spokesman also said that the Nawaz Sharif government was not serious about holding peace talks.
“When he was in Pakistan he was saying one thing, now when he has gone to US he is talking about preconditions for talks,â Geo News quoted TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid as saying.
According to the report, the Taliban said they would consider holding peace talks only if the government was ready to prove its authority.
The Pakistani Taliban also demanded that the government should withdraw army from the country’s tribal region, release militants and stop drone attacks.
INDIA TODAY
