E&OE
30 March 2009
Doorstop interview
Subject: Attack on Pakistan police
SMITH: Well, I've just got off the phone with our High Commissioner in Lahore, and I can advise that she has recently been advised by the Chief of the Lahore City Police that fortunately no Australians are involved or associated with this terrible attack on the police training headquarters in Lahore. So we're of course relieved that Australians aren't involved.
Can I start by condemning what is clearly an outrageous terrorist attack. And can I also, on behalf of the Australian Government and the Australian people, express our condolences and sympathy to the families of those who've been killed.
Currently we have unconfirmed reports of anywhere between eight to 20 killed but we have to wait for more time to elapse before there is a final assessment of the injured and those who have, terribly, been killed.
This is clearly a terrorist attack on the Pakistan State itself. Security advisor Rehman Malik has made the point himself on Pakistani media that any number of terrorist organisations would have the capacity to effect this: Lashkar-e-Taiba or Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, both of whom have previously been associated or linked to previous attacks both in Pakistan and in India.
So we condemn this terrible attack. It is an attack against the State of Pakistan, and Australia, as I've made the point in the past, stands ready, willing and able to assist Pakistan, together with the rest of the international community, as Pakistan deals with its terrible security problems.
And we know, as I was recently in Pakistan, that Pakistan suffers from very difficult security and economic challenges. The international community, including Australia, needs to render all the assistance we can to Pakistan at what is a very difficult time.
QUESTION: What kind of assistance can we give them?
SMITH: Well when we saw the terrible attack on the Sri Lankan Cricket Team I indicated to the Pakistani authorities that if they needed any of the investigatory or forensic assistance of the Australian Federal Police that would be made available. In the event, that wasn't required but that offer is there again. I'm not expecting it will be needed to be taken up.
But, more generally, Australia is a member of the international group Friends of a Democratic Pakistan, we are part of the original Ministerial members of that group, and we render our support to Pakistan.
Pakistan's a strategically very important nation, in South Asia, close to the Middle East, close to Central Asia, the second-largest Muslim populated country in the world. It also has nuclear weapons. We can't afford to let Pakistan fall into the hands of terrorists and extremists. So it's very important that the international community renders assistance to Pakistan at this difficult time.
QUESTION: How important is it that the perpetrators of this are found [indistinct]?
SMITH: Well it's absolutely important that the perpetrators are brought to justice. As I say, it's very early in the piece; it's too early to draw a conclusion as to who is behind this terrible terrorist attack. As I say, the Pakistan security advisor, Rehman Malik who I met when I was recently in Pakistan, has made the point that a number of terrorist groups have the capacity or the potential. In these things it's always best to wait, do a proper assessment to see what is behind it. But it's clearly an outrageous and despicable terrorist attack on Pakistan as a nation state itself.
QUESTION: So from the information you've received this afternoon nobody has come forward to take responsibility yet?
SMITH: There have been no claims of responsibility in Pakistan at this stage. As I say, I've only recently got off the phone to our High Commissioner in Islamabad; I'm very pleased to be able to confirm that the Lahore City Police chief officer has indicated no Australians are involved. But, in terms of responsibility, we need to await the exhaustive assessments by the Pakistan authorities.
[ENDS]
Media inquiries
Foreign Minister's office (02) 6277 7500