Pakistani PM asks militants to shun violence

Type the text herePakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday asked the militants to shun violence and work for the progress of the country. The Prime Minister's statement came at a time when militants fired rockets at a public meeting of tribesmen in the tribal region where the governor of Khyber Paskhtoonkhwa province was to address the gathering. The governor escaped unhurt in the attack in Orakzai tribal region, which killed one person and injured seven others. "The agenda of these terrorists and extremists is certainly against Pakistan," Gilani said while addressing the passing out parade of the recruits of the Pakistan Army belonging to the insurgency-hit southwestern Balochistan province. The recruits also exhibited their prowess in anti-terrorist skills and demonstrated ways to neutralize militants. Prime Minister Gilani last week offered talks to Taliban militants to end the years of violence in Pakistan which has claimed the lives of 36,000 people including 5,000 security personnel in 10 years. Two senior Pakistani Taliban leaders have reportedly accepted the government talks' offer but called for mediation of Saudi Arabia and other countries they trust. They did not name other countries. Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan is passing through a critical juncture and regretted that some people had chosen the path of terrorism, which was bringing a bad name to the country and to the religion Islam. He praised the country's armed forces for their sacrifices to rid the country of the scourge of terrorism, adding the armed forces and the people of Pakistan stand united to eliminate extremism and terrorism and to bring prosperity and development to the country. Talking about the situation in the violence-hit Balochistan province, he asked the anti-government insurgents to choose the path of peace, "as this is the only way for the progress of people of Balochistan and Pakistan." "Those who do not heed to this advice must understand that they might delay progress and prosperity of the people of Balochistan, but they cannot deprive the people from the pace of development for long. The event was also attended by Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and senior civil and military officials.