ISLAMABAD, Jan 20: Leaders of the ruling coalition vowed on Tuesday to rid the country of terrorism and extremism.

Sources told Dawn the leaders were of the view that terrorists had not only harmed economy and stability of the country but also caused embarrassment to the nation.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, PM’s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met at the President’s House, followed by a late-night meeting of members of the cabinet with the president and prime minister in which the political and regional situation was discussed.

It is learnt that Maulana Fazl will meet Indian High Commissioner Satyabarata Pal on Wednesday to assure him that no state element or agency was involved in the Mumbai attacks and that Pakistan was actively investigating the information provided by India in connection with the attacks.

The sources said the government had also sought Maulana Fazl’s help to calm down the situation in Swat where militants had challenged the government’s writ and destroyed over 171 schools and killed a number of soldiers and civilians.

At the meeting, the leaders said that Pakistan should cooperate with India, but under its own laws.

The prime minister reiterated in the National Assembly on Monday that any Pakistani found involved in the Mumbai attacks would be tried in Pakistan under the country’s law and would not be handed over to India.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that no-one would be allowed to use Pakistan’s soil for terrorist activities.

“Pakistan is making progress in investigations into the Mumbai attacks and trying its best to satisfy India.”

Coercive mindset

Meanwhile, General Tariq Majid, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, has criticised external players who were asking Pakistan to “do more” and prove its sincerity.

“Such international players must come out from the coercive mindset and instead start delivering on the promised capacity assistance to help Pakistan in dealing with the problem,” he said at a meeting with Turkish Ambassador Rauf Engin Soysal at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Chaklala on Tuesday.

They exchanged views on the situation in the region and matters relating to defence cooperation.

“Pakistan does not need to prove to anyone about its sincerity considering the huge sacrifices it has made and is continuing to make which cannot be matched by any of those players making these demands. Such unhelpful statements must stop,” he added.