ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Monday said that the government was determined to exterminate terrorism from the country.

Addressing the participants of the second South Asian Youth Conference (SAYC), he said, “We will utilize all available resources to exterminate terrorism in order to ensure durable peace and sustainable development for the mutual benefit of the region.”

Around 120 delegates from SAARC countries are participating in the South Asian Youth Conference (SAYC) to discuss regional peace, education and sustainable development.

The minister said wars and conflicts breed poverty and deprivation and it is important for the regional countries to resolve the differences through dialogue and negotiations.

He said Pakistan has made unprecedented sacrifices in the pursuit of restoring peace and prosperity which has been acknowledged by the international community.

Kaira stressed the need for unified regional approach to defeat mind-set propagating terrorism and extremism.

The minister said terrorists would not be allowed to impose their nefarious designs through use of force.

Expressing his optimism, he said, youth of the region have potential to convert challenges into opportunities.

He said youth are the real future and urged them to play active role in putting the region on way of progress. “Youth's role is a key for regional peace and prosperity,” said Kaira, adding that Pakistan and India still have some bilateral issues to resolve, but both the countries have mutual understanding on fight against poverty and illiteracy.

He said Pakistan and India had checkered relations in the past but now things were changing, as both countries have realised that hostile relations were not in their interest.

He said it was a positive sign that both the countries were cooperating with each other in various sectors.