Pakistan leaders embrace joint approach to tackling terrorism
 

Pakistan is to convene a national conference on tackling terrorism as country's leaders seek to contain the menace of militant movements they once backed. Yousuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, announced plans to develop a new strategy at the weekend following calls by Nawaz Shariz, the main opposition leader that it was time to negotiate with the Pakistan Taliban. "We have this problem in our home," he said. " Why shouldn't we take initiatives?" While that call was rebuffed the leaders did agree that years of support for Jihadist groups has backfired as militants target the government.The country has spent a weekend mourning 42 people killed by suicide bombers on Thursday night at a Sufi shrine in Lahore. The bloodshed prompted angry demonstration as protesters blamed the government for failing to tackle the problem. A joint statement issued by the prime minister and Mr Sharif said the parties would develop a joint strategy to tackle terrorism. "They agreed that terrorism is the main hurdle in way of development and giving relief to people," the statement said. "They agreed that this is not the time for blame-games as it is a serious national issue." The agreement represents a rare moment of consensus between the two parties, which have clashed over how to address the problem of growing violence in Punjab, the country's richest and most populous region. The government has repeatedly calledon Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League- N party, which controls Punjab, to clamp down on militants. Its refusal, analysts believe, is rooted in their use of radical groups to deliver votes. Pakistan has also long used groups fighting in Kashmir or Afghanistan as tools of foreign policy. But there are signs that Pakistan is waking up to the threat. A Western diplomat in Islamabad said: "There is a realisation that the idea of some sort of good Taliban – groups that would leave Pakistan alone – is mistaken. Not everyone buys into it yet, but there is a growing understanding that these groups are a threat to the government and need to be tackled."