He was addressing a thought-provoking session titled: `External and Internal Problems of Pakistan' at Tech Club here.

"The political pendulum was swinging from reconciliation to confrontation - educated, clean, visionary and forward-looking leadership is only the way forward" Qureshi said.

He underlined the need for fruitful and result-oriented dialogue among different political forces to enable the country to counter challenges. Challenges can be transformed into opportunities but with commitment and national unity, he added.

He said consensus on important national issues is imperative to steer the country out of prevailing situation. Unfortunately there had never been a serious debate in this regard, he added.

Referring to problems of energy crisis, inflation, unemployment and poverty, Shah Mehmood Qureshi pointed out that these problems were not new and people had been facing the problems for the last several decades.

He said that PPP-led government after coming into power had taken different steps for resolving these problems.

He said that energy crisis could be resolved by utilizing Thar coal reserves, constructing small dams and utilizing solar energy. "There are many sites on Indus River to produce electricity", he added.

He said Pakistan has rich natural resource but unfortunately a large section of society was living below the poverty line.

He said that solid steps were needed to increase agricultural production, adding that it would also help reduce prices of edibles in the country.

He said in the war against terrorism, Pakistan suffered more than any other country. The terrorists hit all parts of the country and make a citizens feel insecure even in his own home, he added.

He said as Foreign Minister, he had worked for normalization of relations between India and Pakistan without compromising on core issues. Similarly, he said he had been trying to develop Pakistan's ties with the US on long-term partnership basis.

To a question about the Raymond Davis case, he said "no doubt America is a super power but we are an independent nation and have our own dignity". "Raymond has killed our innocent people and he should face the court", he added.

He said there was a realization among the Pakistani people that US attitude towards Pakistan was not appropriate adding, without bridging the trust deficit, the US-Pakistan relations can not be transformed into solid ties.