Karachi, Nov 17 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the US’ air strikes would be stopped after the new Barack Obama administration assumes office in the White House on January 20.

Being a nuclear power, Pakistan had to react in a “responsible manner” in response to American air strikes inside the country, said Gilani while talking to journalists on Sunday night.

To a question why his government did not react to the American air strikes, the Pakistan premier said: “It is not child’s play as Pakistan is a nuclear country,” reported the Daily Times.

Defending the Army action in the tribal areas, Gilani said the operation was launched on the request of the provincial government. He also said the government was ready to talk to the militants for establishing peace in the region. “Locals are supporting the Army action and the government is also following a policy of isolating the militants and bring peace in the region,” the paper quoted him as saying.

Reacting to the Opposition’s charge that borrowing of money from the IMF by the federal government proved that its economic policies had failed, he said that the IMF conditions were tough, but said, “all previous governments had also borrowed from the IMF.”

“Wrong perceptions prevailed in the country about the IMF,” he said and assured that his government would not accept the tough terms and conditions of the Fund.

The prime minister said the present economic crisis was the result of the global economic recession. He asked the people to cooperate with the government to overcome the crisis. He said they were following friendly policies in the agriculture sector to improve the economy. (ANI)