Sarkozys Advisor calls on President Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly condemned the bomb blast near Choor Chowk in Rawalpindi on Thursday, which killed and injured several people. The President in a message said the perpetrators of such heinous crime would not be spared. He expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives and said the government was committed to root out terrorism from the country. Earlier, President Zardari asked the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to undertake extensive visits of the countries in the region for enhancing trade and commerce wherever possible within the eight nation grouping. The President was talking to a delegation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Chamber of Commerce and Industry headed by its President Tariq Sayeed that called on him in the Presidency. The President said that the government planned to set up cement and ethanol plants in the Tribal Areas for the economic uplift of the areas and ending poverty. The produce of these plants will be exported to Afghanistan besides its utilization in the domestic market. Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Advisor to the President Sarkozy of France Thursday also called on President Asif Ali Zardari and discussed matters relating to Pak-France cooperation in different areas. The Ambassador of France and other senior officials who travelled with Admiral Guillaud were also present in the meeting. Defence Minister Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar and Interior Minister Rehman Malik besides senior officials, attended the meeting. The issues of Friends of Pakistan initiative, the rehabilitation of internally displaced people and the drive against militants also came under discussion.