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Leghari terms Clinton's visit as flopped

Recorder Report

LAHORE: Terming the recent visit of the US President Bill Clinton to Pakistan as flopped, Chief of Millat Party, Farooq Ahmad Leghari has asked the government to reconsider its foreign policy and also take the political parties into confidence, in this regard.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday, he asserted that Pakistan should strengthen its relations with OIC and Asian countries instead of looking towards America or European countries.

He said that Bill Clinton during his recent visit to South Asia showed keen interest in India and spent most of time there, which proved that he wanted to win the Indian market beside making it a mini-power in the region.

He said we can not achieve progress and prosperity without coming out from the clutches of the IMF and other donor agencies. In this regard, he stressed the need of adopting a new strategy.

About the CTBT, he said, we should consider the issue in depth as it was not an ordinary matter. The government should not take any decision on this issue of vital importance without taking the nation into confidence.

Commenting on the Chief Executive's announcement about holding of LB polls, he said these elections could not be an alternative of general elections, hence both the general and local bodies polls be held simultaneously.

About the CE's programme of devolution of powers, he said it is not a new thing rather it is a part of his patry's manifesto.

Answering a question, he said the pace of ongoing accountability process is slow, the government should boost the process. He called for accomplishing the task of electoral reforms, preparations of new voters lists and issuance of computerized ID cards.