[Dawn] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
on Wednesday vowed to defeat terrorist forces and turn Pakistain into a cradle of peace with the support and unity of the people and cooperation from the army and other vital security institutions.
"The whole nation is united. We are in high spirits and would give an absolute defeat to the bully boyz with the full cooperation of army and other national security institutions," the prime minister said while addressing the flag hoisting ceremony here at the Convention Center to mark the country's 67th Independence Day.
UN Secretary General
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
also attended the ceremony on the special invitation of the prime minister.
Chairman Senate, Speaker National Assembly, Federal Ministers, members of the Parliament, diplomats and senior civil and military officers were among those who attended the special ceremony.
The prime minister said the government was fully cognizant of the people's concerns on the menace of terrorism and extremism, adding that the people also know that such challenges come in the history of nations and they fight these with unity and courage.
Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistain was a nuclear-weapon state and an important regional power, and any decision about the region cannot be taken without the country's involvement.
Later, during a joint news conference with Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister Sharif pledged to respond to rising tensions in disputed Kashmire with "restraint and responsibility".
The prime minister said it was vital to defuse the recent escalation of tension in the Himalayan territory.