Friday, June 12, 2009

Zardari says cantonment to be set up in Swat





ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari vowed late on Friday night to continue war against terrorism till its logical end, announced the establishment of a cantonment in Swat and an increase in the salary of armed forces personnel equivalent to their one-month basic salary.

In his brief address, Mr Zardari commended security personnel fighting militants in Malakand for rendering invaluable sacrifices and said those who ‘are engaged in military operation in Malakand will get immediate increase. Others … will avail this facility from July 1.’

Denouncing Taliban for sowing terror, the president said: ‘Killing religious scholars like Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi, blowing up schools, killing doctors administering anti-polio drops and desecrating graves is not Islamic at all,’ he said.

He said the nation had now waken up to the Taliban threat and accused them of invoking Islam to take over the country. ‘We will, however, win the war against militants with the support of the people, political parties and parliament.’

Mr Zardari praised displaced people for showing courage and assured them that things would soon improve soon enough to make their return to Malakand possible.

The president said that the government had decided to set up a pay commission for government servants.

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