Ban assures support for democracy in Pakistan

The United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Wednesday said that UN supported all the efforts to stabilize the democracy in Pakistan and would continue to cooperate with Islamabad in its efforts against terrorism. The UN Chief who was on a two-day official visit to Pakistan attended the flag hoisting ceremony on the Independence Day of Pakistan at the Convention Centre in capital city of Islamabad on the special invitation of Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. He held a meeting with the Prime Minister after wards to wrap up his visit and said that Pakistan had a vital role in world peace and it was implementing UN charter. The UN Secretary General and the prime minister also held a joint press conference afterwards. Sharif on the occasion said that any decision regarding the fate of the region could not be taken without Pakistan's participation, as Pakistan was the hub of economy and politics in the region and being a nuclear country it was a power in the region to reckon with, which was now being recognized internationally also. The prime minister further added that that our association with the world peace was no secret; Pakistan has been devoutly observing the Charter of the United Nations. Ban, during his visit, inaugurated the Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS) at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and lauds the efforts by Pakistan in peace keeping. He praised the services Pakistani troops for UN by saying that the history of UN's peacekeeping efforts was incomplete without mentioning Pakistan's immense contribution for peace and security. Over 8000 Pakistani finest men and women soldiers are deputed with UN peacekeepers in different parts of the world including Liberia, Western Sahara and Ivory Coast. The UN Chief said that the sacrifices of 136 Pakistani peacekeepers could not be ignored who lost their lives during the country's 50-year affiliation with the UN peacekeeping. He also met the Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani, PM's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid and Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN Masood Khan during his visit. The Pakistani Prime Minister thanked the UN Secretary General for making it convenient to visit Pakistan on such an august day, which was so close to the hearts of every Pakistani.