LAHORE/ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Pakistan does not want war but the country is capable of fending off any aggression, says Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Addressing a news conference after arriving here on Sunday evening, he said people should not worry because the national defence was capable of meeting any challenge.

Ealier in Islamabad, during a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mr Gilani said only enemies of peace would benefit from escalation in tension between Pakistan and India.

In Lahore, he termed the violation of Pakistan’s airspace by Indian Air Force planes a ‘technical mistake’ and said: “I phoned the (Pakistani) air chief … who explained to me that such incidents are routine.”

Commenting on the UN Security Council’s decision to put four Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders on its terrorist watch-list and declaring the outlawed organisation and Jamaatud Dawa and other groups affiliated with it as terrorist outfits, the prime minister said the resolution had been on hold since 2001-02.

“Now the … resolution is in effect. It is not a demand of India, the UK or the US. It is an international resolution and binding on all UN member states.

“We had to start investigating individuals and groups named in the resolution, put their names on the exit control list, freeze their accounts and seal their offices. We are conducting a probe on our own against Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders who joined Jamaatud Dawa,” said Mr Gilani.

Pakistan would take action in line with its own laws if evidence was provided by India, adding that no Pakistani national would be extradited.

“We are acting according to the UN resolution and … our own laws. There is no move to hand them over to India.”

He said the Mumbai attacks had been globally condemned and Pakistan opposed terrorism and never encouraged it. “The government will not allow the use of its territory for terrorist activities.”

Mr Gilani said he did not want military action anywhere in the country because it did not yield results. “But foreign nationals are destroying shops selling CDs and barber shops and schools. They are challenging the government’s writ even in settled areas, necessitating a military operation … We will strengthen law-enforcement agencies like police and the Frontier Constabulary.”

The prime minister said: “Pakistan is currently facing two major problems – economy and terrorism. We are working on dialogue, development and deterrent to address the situation.”

The prime minister was received in Lahore by Punjab Minister for Jails Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor and PPP leaders Rana Aftab, Qasim Zia, Munir Ahmed Khan, Azizur Rehman Chan, Faiza Ahmad, Nazim Hussain Shah and Zikriya Butt.In Islamabad, Mr Gilani apprised Mr Gordon about his government’s initiatives to defuse tension with India and said it had offered cooperation in investigation into the Mumbai attacks.

Briefing Mr Brown on steps taken by the government to meet international obligations, Mr Gilani reiterated that Pakistan would not allow anyone to use its soil for activities detrimental to any other country.