"Mr. Secretary General

It is a great pleasure and honour, to welcome you to Pakistan . We deeply appreciate your leadership of the United Nations. We sincerely hope that your focus on peace and security in the world and other issues of global concern will result in the collective well being of all people.

Mr. Secretary General,

I take this opportunity to thank you on my behalf and on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan for your great interest in setting up of a Fact Finding Commission on Shaheed Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. We hope that the three- member Commission would soon commence its operations.

            The people of Pakistan hope this Commission will determine the facts and circumstances of the assassination of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and my wife Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. We believe that the Commission's findings will lead to eventually exposing the financers, perpetrators, organizers, sponsors and conspirators of this terrorist act and bring them to justice.

Mr. Secretary General,

On behalf of the government of Pakistan I assure you of full cooperation of the Pakistani authorities to the commission. We will allow the commission fully and complete access to all relevant sources of information. The commission will have complete freedom to access documentary material and physical evidence and to interview any individual whose testimony would be necessary for fulfilling the mandate.

Mr. Secretary General,

            On this occasion I would also like to convey to you the appreciation and gratitude of the people of Pakistan to the United Nations for honouring Shaheed Benazir Bhutto with the Human Rights Award. The award will strengthen democratic forces not only in Pakistan but throughout the world.

Mr. Secretary General,

I also wish to thank you for your interest in the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Initiatives. This initiative has been designed to help us come out of our multiple challenges. We are grateful to you for nominating a senior officer to be part of this initiative.

Mr. Secretary General,

I would also like to stress once again our commitment to fight militants and militancy. We believe that militancy is a global problem and requires global efforts to fight it. We look forward to continued support of the international community in fighting this menace.

Mr. Secretary General,

Long-standing disputes continue threaten peace and security.  The Jammu and Kashmir issue remains pending on the agenda of the United Nations for the last six decades. We are determined to resolve this issue through dialogue taking into account aspirations of the Kashmiri people. 

Mr. Secretary General,    

            In conclusion, I would like to say that Pakistan is committed to the principles and purposes of the United Nations. As always the Government of Pakistan will continue to extend its full support in your efforts for peace and development of the world.

Thank you."

Earlier, the Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon had a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in the Presidency. The meeting was attended by Mr. Farooq Naikh, Minister for Law and Justice, Mr. Rehman Malik, Interior Advisor, Nawabzada Malik Hamad Khan, Minister of State Foreign Affairs and senior Pakistani and United Nation officials.

            The UN Secretary General lauded Pakistan 's commitment to UN principles and appreciated Pakistan 's contributions to the United Nations peace keeping operations and advancing UN objectives. During the meeting issues relating to the Friends of Democratic Pakistan, United Nation Commission on Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto , and situation in the region also came under discussion.