... Pakistain's erstwhile current prime minister, whose occasional feats of mental gymnastics can be awe-inspiring ...
on Wednesday warned that any attempt to address Afghan crisis without engaging Pakistain wouldn't bear fruit.
"Pakistain is part of solution to Afghan problem, not part of the problem. Therefore, any attempt to address it minus Pakistain will be unproductive," the prime minister said at a dinner hosted by Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
Masood Kausar at the Governor's House.
Mr Gilani said Pakistain supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process in Afghanistan. He, however, said the process should not destabilise Pakistain.
"We want a stable and prosperous Afghanistan," he said.
Mr Gilani said Pakistain had its own interest in the region and it would protect it at all costs.
About security threats to the country, he said he had called an all parties conference in Islamabad today (Thursday) to evolve a consensus strategy through collective wisdom.
He said Pakistain was a responsible nuclear power and had many friends across the world.
"Pakistain has no demand and it wants to be treated like a responsible and dignified state. We want to have friendly and
brotherly relations with neighbouring countries on the basis of mutual respect and honour," he added.
The prime minister said Pakistain would not compromise its integrity and solidarity and that the nation was united against any foreign aggression.
He said his government restored the 1973 Constitution through a majority vote in parliament paving the way for Quaid's vision of transforming Pakistain into a parliamentary democracy.
The dinner was attended among others by JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of PPP Aftab Sherpao, President PML-Likeminded Salim Saifullah Khan, former JI chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad, ANP leader Ghulam Bilour, provincial head of ANP Afrasayab Khattak and provincial chief of PTI Asad Qaisar.
Governor
Punjab Latif Khosa, Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, federal and provincial ministers, and members of parliament also attended the dinner.Later, the prime minister met delegations of business community and People's Lawyer Forum, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at the Governor's House.
He told a delegation of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry that the Prime Minister's Financial Package-2010 for revival of economic activities in the province would be implemented.