PRESS RELEASE

Islamabad 22^nd January, 2009: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that government had embarked on the three Ds strategy involving Dialogue, Development and Deterrence to root out the menace of extremism from the country. He said that dialogue for a political settlement in the disturbed regions with those who would not challenge the writ of the state was also an element of the government strategy to deal with the situation.

 He made these remarks while presiding a meeting on Pukhtoonkhawah issues in the Presidency today.

 Those who attended the meeting included Governor NWFP, Mr. Owais Ahmed Ghani, Chief Minister, Mr. Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Mr. Farooq H. Naik, Federal Minister for Law & Justice, Mr. Najmuddin Khan, Federal Minister for SAFRON, Mr. A.Rehman Malik, Interior Adviser, Sardar Muhammad Latif Khan Khosa, Attorney General of Pakistan, Mr. Rahim Dad Khan, Provincial Minister for Planning & Development, Mr. Hamayun Khan, Provincial Minister for Finance, Mr. Zahir Ali Shah, Provincial Minister for Health, Mian Iftikhar, Provincial Minister for Information , Barrister Arshad Abdullah, Provincial Minister for Law, Mr. Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Provincial Minister for Local Government and Mr. Afrasiab Khattak, Peace Envoy.

 He said that the government was committed to embark on a massive socio economic development programme particularly in the Pukhtoonkhawah Province and the tribal areas. He said that the need for socio economic development was increasingly being recognized by the international community and said that the adoption of Lugar-Biden Bill in the United States Senate was a manifestation of this realization.

 Earlier the Chief Minster gave an overview of the law and order situation in the province in general and Swat and Malakand in particular.

 The President said that peace was the foremost priority and that was why the government had pressed into service all available resources to bring stability to the regions affected by extremism.

 The President said that he would   like to have such meetings held more frequently.

 Adviser Interior Mr. Rehman Malik briefed the meeting on the measures taken to beef up the police force and security agencies in the province. The President directed the Interior Adviser to furnish a detailed report within a week on the measures taken to beef up police force in the province and also on what further needed to be done.