Summary PM Raja is presiding over a session of cabinet in Islamabad.
ISLAMBAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has observed that extremism, militancy and intolerance are the challenges which are a matter of high concern for us since long.
He stated this in his opening remarks while presiding over the cabinet meeting here Thursday.
He said as a new year's resolution‚ we pledge to fight out terrorism and other evils with the blessing of Allah and support of patriotic forces of the country.
He said with deep sorrow‚ the Cabinet condemns the current wave of terrorism and assassination of a great patriot Shaheed Bashir Ahmed Bilour‚ 21 Levy personnel‚ polio vaccinators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh‚ attack on Bacha Khan Airport Peshawar‚ the recent explosion at Mastung killing 19 pilgrims and the blast in Karachi killing four people and injuring 45.
The cabinet offered Fateha for Shaheed Bashir Ahmed Bilour and all those who have lost their lives as a result of terrorist's cowardly acts.
He made it clear that the sacrifices of all those who have embraced Shahadaat‚ will never go waste and a time will definitely come when these terrorists will be defeated.
He said the world knows that we have lost 30‚000 civilian men‚ women and children‚ more than 5000 armed forces personnel and billions of dollars.
He said that poverty and illiteracy are the major root causes of extremism and terrorism‚ and absorption of our unemployed people in gainful employment would greatly help circumventing them falling into the trap of the terrorists.
He said Government is implementing programmes such as BISP to address the issues of poverty and unemployment.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said government is going to complete its tenure and is heading towards elections. The government considers elections as "Amanat" which will be conducted in accordance with the Constitution.
He pledged that PPP-led coalition government will not let any one derail democracy in the country as countless sacrifices have been made for it and parliamentary system will further be strengthened.
