PM Ashraf hopes Int'l community would give greater recognition to Pakistan for fighting against terrorism

 BEIJING, Sept 20 (APP): Pakistan has hoped that the international community will give the country greater recognition and support for its contribution to the war on terrorism.
 Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf made these remarks in an exclusive interview with China's prominent English language daily,
Global Times, owned by the Communist Party of China, on the sidelines
of the World Economic Forum in Tianjin.
 Ashraf said terrorism is a "menace" to regional and global peace and security, stressing that it is the collective responsibility of all
nations to fight against it.
 "Pakistan is on the frontline of the war on terrorism, facing the
main brunt and being the main sufferer. We paid a heavy price in the war
and the international community should recognize our sacrifices and
support us," he said.
    Islamabad is also eyeing closer anti-terrorism cooperation with China, Ashraf said.
    "The China-Pakistan relationship is always a diplomatic priority for Pakistan. Our friendship is time-tested and is based upon our two
people's love and affection for each other," Prime Minister Pervez
Ashraf said.
    The Prime Minister further said his country's recent decision to
reopen the NATO supply route through Pakistan and into Afghanistan is
the latest sign of its willingness to facilitate regional anti-terrorism efforts.
 Pakistan closed the supply line to protest the killing of two dozen Pakistani soldiers in airstrikes last November. 
 "The US accepted that the strike was a mistake and felt sorry for it.
We reopened the line without any other conditions because we know this is for the interest of peace and stability of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the whole region," he said.
 Prime Miniser Raja Pervez Ashraf added that when NATO forces pull
their troops out of Afghanistan by 2014, they would use the same route.
"We do not want to be seen as a hindrance. We want to be seen as being on the right side of history, cooperating with the international community,
"he said.
 He mentioned that regional peace and stability after NATO's withdrawal mainly depended on the process being led by Afghans.
 "I went to Afghanistan last month and met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, as well as different parties and their leaders. I have come to the conclusion that Afghanistan's internal dialogue is the only path for peace and stability," he noted.
 "Pakistan wants to be a facilitator in this process because we understand that peace and stability in Afghanistan means peace and
stability in Pakistan," he added.