Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday that Pakistan has defeated terrorism and would not allow anyone to use its soil against any other country and expects the same from others. Talking to the media after attending the inaugural ceremony of Asia Peace Festival organised by Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), he said other countries should not let their soil to be used for terrorism against Pakistan. "We will raise voice and use diplomatic channels against those found involved in committing terrorism in Pakistan," he said.

The interior minister said that the government is working in coordination with Afghan government to promote regional peace. He also said that internal stability is mandatory for development of the country. To a question about NA-120 by-poll, Iqbal said that people of Lahore voted in favour of progress and development. "People of NA-120 have reposed full confidence in the leadership of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," he said, adding that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has reservations with respect to the way election was held in Lahore.

He said that strict action would be taken against those found involved in kidnapping of PML-N workers from NA-120 constituency on the eve of polling. When asked if former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is angry with him, Iqbal said that he is not angry with him but Nisar may be. Earlier, he congratulated the Pakistan Council of the Arts and organizers of Asian Film Festival over arranging a film festival in which hundreds of films were presented for screening by filmmakers of 30 countries.

Iqbal said that Pakistan is on the path of recovery, contrary to 2013 when international media organizations were declaring Pakistan as one of the most dangerous countries, but today the same media organizations are saying that Pakistan is becoming a powerful country of Asia. He said that Pakistan is a peaceful and hospitable country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017