Islamabad, Nov. 8 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the controversial issue of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is dead has been ‘buried forever’.

Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of a function in Jamber where he inaugurated a power plant, Gilani said the NRO was no longer ‘an issue’.

When enquired that whether Islamabad would discuss India’s alleged involvement in fanning insurgency in Balochistan with New Delhi, Gilani said the issue could come up for discussions, but only when his counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh comes forward for talks.

He said Pakistan believed in maintaining friendly relations with all its neighbours, including India, on the basis of equality.

Commenting on the on-going military operation in South Waziristan, the stronghold of the Taliban, Gilani said the extremists would soon be flushed out of the region.

“In view of the nation’s high spirits, it will not take long to fight out the terrorists,” The Daily Times quoted Gilani, as saying.

Gilani stressed that a peaceful political environment was imperative for the country’s economy to improve.

Despite the prevalent political chaos in the country, he said the situation was stable and pointed out that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is working to take all political parties on board. (ANI)