Islamabad, December 24 2008: Vowing to defend Pakistan till the �last drop of his blood�, President Asif Ali Zardari today said there would be �no compromise� on the country�s sovereignty and integrity amidst escalating tension with India. Pakistan is a great nation and �we will defend the country till the last drop of our blood�, Zardari said at the annual day function of his alma mater, Petaro Cadet College, in Sindh province. The country is passing through a challenging pha-se and the people will meet these challenges with determination, he said. The people stand united in defending the independence of the country and there will be no compromise on Pakistan�s integrity, so-vereignty and freedom, Zardari said. The cadets of the college have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of defending the country, he said. Meanwhile, Information Minister Sherry Rehman told reporters in Islamabad that Pakistan is �acting with utmost restraint� and its people could not be �deter-red from the path of peace and regional cooperation�. �However, there should be no doubt in anyone�s mind about the Govern-ment�s resolve and capabi- lity to defend Pakistan�s territorial integrity,� she said.

�Our Government�s policy of restraint should not be viewed as an act of cowardice.� The democratically elected Government wan-ted to �protect the Pakis- tan-India peace process cre-ated through years of hard work�.

It will continue to act with �restraint and responsibility, preferring to use international diplomacy as the means to address issues of concern�, she said.

Pak takes Interpol cover;asks India to give �credible evidence� : Taking the cover of Interpol chief�s remarks, Pakistan today asked India to provide �credible and incrimi- nating evidence� to back up its claim about the involvement of Pakistan-based elements in the Mumbai terror attacks. �Pakistan has consisten-tly maintained that it has ex- tended due cooperation to India for joint investigations into the Mumbai at- tacks and we still await credible and incriminating evi- dence from New Delhi that we can act upon,� Information Minister Sherry Reh- man told reporters. Pointing out that the UN had appreciated the steps taken by Islamabad to cou-nter terror, she said Interpol too has �not received any information from India whe-reby an internationally co- ordinated effort could be undertaken to trace the perpetrators through multi- lateral counter-terrorism mechanisms�. Rehman�s comments came two days after a letter from Ajmal Amir Iman alias Ajmal Kasab, the lone gunman captured for the Mum- bai attacks, seeking legal aid was handed over to Pakistani authorities. She sought to capitalise on Interpol chief Ronald Noble�s comments yesterday that Pakistan is at the forefront of efforts to root out terrorism and that India had not yet shared evidence on the Mumbai inci- dent with the global police organisation. Rehman claimed Noble�s remarks �validates Pakistan�s anti-terror stance and shows trust in (its) commitment and capability to fight terror�.

She said Interpol�s stance on the probe into the Mumbai attacks �also validates Pakistan�s position on this issue�.

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