Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said the successful holding of All Parties Conference (APC) testified the fact that Pakistani nation was united on the issue of country's security and defence.

"We will never allow anyone even to have ill-thinking about Pakistan's security. We do not desire war and want peace in the country and beyond. Pakistan can play an important role in peace and we will do it", Gilani told a historic gathering in ‘Bili Wala’ town, some 30 kilometers from Multan where he laid the foundation stone of Khanewal-Multan section of Multan-Faisalabad motorway.

The prime minister said Pakistan was ready to hold talks with everyone for peace and can go to any extent to achieve this objective, adding, "All the political forces stand shoulder to shoulder for Pakistan's security interests."

He, however, made it clear that Pakistan will talk on the basis of equality and mutual respect, by keeping in view the country's national interests.

Prime Minister Gilani lauded the political leaders, who responded positively on his call and sat together to discuss the issue of Pakistan's security, while keeping their political differences aside.

Gilani said he could have summoned a Joint Sitting of Parliament on this issue but he opted to call an APC so that the political parties, that had boycotted the previous elections, could be represented in this important national moot.

"The APC was aimed at sending a message to the world that on the issue of Pakistan's security, the whole nation and political forces were united", he said and added that the APC proved that the Pakistani nation was ‘one like a rock’ on the issue of country's security and defence.

The Prime Minister said the Muslims are not inferior to anyone. He, however, criticized those extremist elements, who were bringing bad name to Islam.

Gilani said the country's elders including his ancestors rendered great sacrifices to get a separate homeland and how they can compromise on national interests, adding, "My father was a signatory to Pakistan's resolution."

Prime Minister Gilani while talking about the assassination of former Afghan President and Chairman of Afghan High Peace Council Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani, said Afghan President Hamid Karzai has some misunderstanding on this issue.

"I want to convey to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who is my brother and friend, and with whom we have good relations, has some misunderstanding on the assassination of Prof Rabbani", he remarked.

Gilani said he himself visited Afghanistan to express condolences over the assassination of Rabbani, adding, Pakistan was ready to provide any security or intelligence assistance in this respect.

"They cannot doubt us. Pakistanis are a self-respecting nation. The Prime Minister felicitated the nation as well as the country's political forces that it was due to the APC meeting that the United States had sent a message that they needed Pakistan and that they could not win the war (against terrorism) without it.

"It is due to APC as well as the unity of political leaders that the US has a sent a message that they need Pakistan and that they cannot win the war against the terrorism without Pakistan".

"They have also distanced themselves from the statement of Mullen. It is the victory of Pakistani nation, political parties as well as the government's policy of reconciliation", he remarked.

The Prime Minister on this occasion announced thatMultan-Faisalabad Motorway would now start from Muzaffargarh andwould be extended to Sindh via Lodhran and Bahawalpur.

The motorway will also be linked to Gwadar via Ratodero, hesaid and added that he had also talked to the Chinese President andPremier to provide assistance to Pakistan for the project so that it proved to be another hallmark of Pak-China friendship like the Karakoram Highway (KKH).

He said the motorway -- after linking southern and northernPunjab would bring industrial revolution in the area and usher in anew era of prosperity for the people.

Abdul Qadir Gilani, MPA, while addressing the public meetingsaid the huge crowd of people from South Punjab was a referendum inthe support of creating a new province from Sahiwal to Sadiqabad.

He said the people of South Punjab, who had been deprived oftheir rights in the past, have now realized that their hard-earnedresources were being utilized for the development of Lahore andsurrounding areas.

Qadir Gilani vowed to work for the rights of the people ofSouth Punjab. He said the construction of motorway in the area wouldprovide ample opportunities of economic development and would createjobs.

The public meeting was also addressed by a number ofparliamentarians and local leaders.

Earlier, the Prime Minister accompanied by Punjab GovernorSardar Latif Khan Khosa and Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah performed the ground-breaking of the project. Federal Ministerfor Communication Arbab Alamgir was also present.

The mega project is in line with the government's project ofupgrading the communication network across the country to facilitatethe people.

The Multan-Faisalabad Motorway will be completed in fourphases including the Multan-Khanewal (57km), Khanewal-Shorkot(65km), Shorkot-Gojra (61km) and Gojra-Faisalabad (58km).

The five interchanges including Vehari road interchange, LMQinterchange, Tataypur interchange, Bahawalpur interchange, andShujaabad interchange at Milton-Khanewal section will beconstructed.

The motorway will connect the Indus Highway (N-55) andwill reduce the travelling distance between Karachi and Islamabad.