UK, Pakistan can defeat terrorism together: Smith
By Mona Khan

ISLAMABAD—The British Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, Monday said that the UK and Pakistan could defeat the terrorist threat faced by both countries, by working together.
Speaking at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Ms Smith underlined the important contribution made to British society by 2 million British Muslims, and the close ties between the UK and Pakistan. She said that the two countries had to use those ties to tackle the terrorist threat that they both faced.
Ms Smith said that terrorist plots in the UK had been traced back to Pakistan, and also that the terrorist threat to Pakistan had links to the UK. “But the great majority of people from all communities in both our countries find terrorism abhorrent,” she said, adding, “Terrorism has no place in Islamic thought, teaching or tradition.”
Outlining the response to the terrorist threat, the Minister thanked the Pakistani authorities for their assistance in investigating several terrorist plots, including the 7/7 London bombings in July 2005. But she also called on the people of Pakistan and the UK to play their part by rejecting the terrorists’ ideology, and isolating those who support them. “The majority has to speak out against the terrorist world view; challenge their image; call to account advocates of violence extremism; protect our institutions; and support those who are most at risk. But to do all this the majority has to make itself stronger, more articulate and outspoken, more challenging,” Ms Smith said.
She remained optimistic that the threat could be defeated by working together. “Whether terrorists ultimately succeed or not is up to us, not up to them. They know that. They worry about it. They are right do so,” she said.
“We should not forget that we operate from a position of strength - the overwhelming majority of people reject terrorism and all it stands for. We want to hear that majority speak more loudly. Our two countries can lead the way.”