Imran gets Pakistan’s narrative recognised, says Dr Awan

KARACHI: The Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, has said Prime Minister Imran Khan succeeded in getting Pakistan’s national narrative and interests recognized in his meeting with the US President Donald Trump

Dr Awan said was speaking at a press conference here at the regional office of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Tuesday. She said Prime Minister Imran Khan successfully presented Pakistan’s national narrative before America which enjoys full national backing. The PM’s aide on the media said the American president’s offer of mediation on the Kashmir issue is recognition of Pakistan’s longstanding viewpoint on the intractable dispute and it proved to be a massive setback to India, which the Indian media had difficult time defending. Dr Awan said Prime Minister Khan defeated India on the diplomatic front. She was of the viewpoint that PM Khan in his meeting with the American president exposed India’s state terrorism in held Kashmir. She said Kashmir issue is the major bone of contention in the South Asian region and recognition of that by the US president is Pakistan’s diplomatic success.

Awan said the prime minister repeatedly offered resumption of peaceful ties to India but New Delhi maintained its hawkish posture. The PM’s special assistant said Pakistan gave a befitting response to the Indian aggression after the Pulwama incident and by returning the intruding Indian fighter pilot to India, the prime minister further proved his desire and vision of peace which was globally acclaimed for bringing down the massive escalation. Dr Awan acknowledged the Pakistani media positively projected the prime minister’s ongoing visit to the United States. Awan said Pakistan’s positive role in bringing peace to Afghanistan was also appreciated for the first time in prime minister’s meeting with the American president. “The world recognizes Pakistan’s sacrifices and contribution for peaceful and amicable settlement to the Afghan crisis,” said the PM’s special assistant on Information.

She said prime minister’s major priority is to transform Pakistan’s negative image into a positive one and the true image of the Pakistani nation has been restored with the Trump-Imran meeting. She claimed this to be the first visit to Washington by any Pakistani head of government in which the issue of American aid to Pakistan was not raised. She said the only discourse was about the projection and protection of Pakistan’s national interests. Dr Awan said the US is Pakistan’s strategic and largest trade partner.

She said that Pakistan’s identity further got strengthened with PM Khan’s address to overseas Pakistanis in the US. She said the overseas Pakistanis settled in America are the major source of remittances for the country. She said by promoting tourism Pakistan is opening its doors to the rest of the world.

Dr Awan said the previous rulers undertook foreign tours to serve their personal interests. She said the leadership of the past did not put across Pakistan’s narrative globally. But the prime minister is on the mission of getting Pakistan’s positive identity projected and its passport respected the world over. “Only personal interests were safeguarded in the past while today only the national interests are being protected. The prime minister is determined to uniform application of law for everyone in the country which includes the prisons as well,” said Dr Awan.

She said the opposition would mourn their failure on July 25th as the people would remain indifferent to their call for observing black. She claimed the move initiated to remove the chairman of Senate tantamount to attacking the federation. She said the proceedings of the Senate are conducted in accordance with the Constitution and not on the whims of the opposition. She said the federal government has given Rs 200 billion to Sindh as its share from the federal divisible pool but despite that the Sindh government is not providing basic facilities to people of the province.