Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday that the government would initiate a thorough probe into US operation in Abbottabad that led to killing of Osama bin Laden and also release its detailed report.
"A detailed report of the incident would be released after thorough deliberation to make the security system more effective to stop the reoccurrence of such an incident in future with more active role of our civilian and military leadership," she told reporters after inaugurating a National Database Centre of Cultural Assets here at Lok Virsa Complex.
She said that the leadership would take the parliament and the nation into confidence on Abbottabad incident, adding the sovereignty and integrity of the country has always been the top priority of the government. In response to Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's statement, she said that Pakistan is the country of all and protection of its dignity, identity and prestige is responsibility of all. She urged the opposition parties not to do politics on Abbottabad incident and stressed the need to cope with the challenges together. She further said that no one had tendered resignation after Kargil issue and if anyone sought resignation then the process would start from Kargil issue, she added
Terming India as an arch-rival, she warned India not to look Pakistan with its nefarious motives as any miscalculation on its part would receive a tit-for-tat response. However, she added that international community including India was co-operating with Pakistan to fill the gaps that caused incidents of terrorism and also made it clear that solution to current war on terror couldn't be found by isolating Pakistan. She said that the world needs Pakistan being a front line state against the war on terror as the country had made countless sacrifices in this war.
She said that the leadership of Pakistan would discuss the media statements given by some Indian leaders and a response would be given at an appropriate time. She refused to comment on the press conference by former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who sought resignations of the President and Prime Minister on Abbottabad incident. However, she said that currently the country needed unity. Awan said that she was not the party's spokesperson and such issues should be discussed within the defined parameters in the party, adding that Qureshi was also part of all the episode of the Pak-US relations.
Earlier, the Minister inaugurated a National Database Centre of Cultural Assets at Lok Virsa complex, Shakarparian, under the aegis of the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (LOK VIRSA) in collaboration with UNESCO.
Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan was the chief guest on the launching ceremony while Royal Norwegian ambassador to Pakistan, Robert Kvile, UN special envoy Rauls Engine Soyal and director UNESCO Dr Kozue K Nagata also attended the event. In her address, the Minister said, "Pakistan has a very rich and diverse culture. People living in each corner and region have their own indigenous traditions, lifestyles, craft and musical heritage, which they proudly practice in their daily life".
She also thanked UNESCO and the Norwegian Embassy for selecting Lok Virsa's venue for establishing the National Database of Cultural Assets adding "it will serve as an important step to store, maintain and update information on the tangible and intangible assets of Pakistan". The Minister expressed the hope that all provincial and regional cultural institutions would also make best use of the facility for preservation and projection of their cultural heritage. Addressing the gathering, Robert Kvile said "the Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad has for a number of years supported cultural projects in Pakistan, as part of our development co-operation programme.