Eradicating poppy growth is key to fighting terrorism: President Zardari

BEIJING, Oct 18 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari has said that eradicating cultivation of poppy from which opium is produced is the key to fighting terrorism. “It is one of the major problems because it finances terrorism,” the President said in an interview to China Daily. He said, “People who grow poppy should be persuaded to grow something else.” Poppy is mostly grown in various areas in Afghanistan. President Zardari said farmers in those regions should plant corn to take advantage of rising prices sparked by the burgeoning US ethanol industry. He said planting corn could give them the same returns they get from opium.

The President said his government will encourage investment in the troubled regions and try and win more preferential treatment for their products in the US market.

“We are looking for a dialogue when the new US administration comes into being. And we are going to work firmly for the signing of a FTA for these regions,” he said.

President Zardari stressed that terrorism in his homeland was their “own problem”, and not that of the US. “It is basically our own war. It has been wrongly described as America’s war,” he said.

His wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was killed in a bombing last year.

In 2006, terrorists killed 907 people and injured 1,543 others in Pakistan. Last year, 1,503 attacks and clashes resulted in 3,448 casualties, according to a security report by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies.

The Pentagon said earlier this month that the United States had the right to hit terrorist targets inside Pakistan. Cross-border US raids have strained ties with Pakistan.

Before returning home on Friday, the Pakistani president said more Chinese investment will be important to help his country get through its current economic hardship.

“I will try to attract more Chinese companies to come to Pakistan,” Zardari said.

He said more Chinese investment will not only benefit Pakistan, but also “convert this financial weakness the world is facing into an opportunity for both sides”.

During the visit, both the countries set long term policies including establishing peace in the region and evolving a joint strategy against terrorism.

The two countries have inked several agreements in different fields including agriculture, environment, sports and technology.

President Zardari said he was trying to convince everyone that terrorism is a regional as well as international problem and the international community should come forward as Pakistan cannot fight it alone.

He said, “we are looking towards the world for cooperation in curbing this menace.”

President Zardari said China has always been very cooperative, adding that during all difficult times “we have been supportive to each other.”

He said that the regional ownership was needed to tackle the issue of terrorism and extremism and Pakistan tends to take on board China as well.

The President pointed out that Pakistan has been following China’s progress and “we take pride in their success, because we are like a family.”

“Chinese and Pakistani people are like a family”, he said. “We see their progress with pride and are happy to see our friends strong. If China is strong, we are strong.”

He said Pakistan and China are two brotherly nations having strong, historic, deep rooted and time-tested ties.

For a country to become economically balanced there is a lesson that one can learn from China, he said.