Nawaz seeks priority access to US markets for Pak goods

Says state writ restored; Uri attack may be
backlash of Indian atrocities in IHK; Indian allegations ‘irresponsible and without any evidence’; hopes all Saarc members will attend summit

NEW YORK/LONDON: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday said the government had restored the state writ in troubled areas of the country with the assistance of army and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Addressing a luncheon gathering of US Pakistan Business Council (USPBC) and the US Chamber of Commerce in New York before leaving for London, Nawaz invited the US business leaders and investors to take lead in harnessing the tremendous potential for deepening trade and investment links with Pakistan.

Nawaz said his government was determined to strengthen trade and investment linkages with the United States and the private sector of both countries could play an important role to that end.

He urged the US administration to give the Pakistani companies an access to the American market.Nawaz highlighted the economic developments in the country and Pakistan’s burgeoning partnerships with international markets and financial institutions.

He underlined the government’s economic reform and revival policies implemented over the past three years that had turned around the economy, mitigated the energy crisis and greatly improved the business climate in the country.

Nawaz noted that the country’s stable economic situation over the last three years formed the basis of a sustainable economic growth trajectory, which was duly acknowledged by international financial institutions and monitoring agencies.

Boeing Director International Operations expressed his desire that Boeing wants to partner with PIA and was ready to offer 777 and 787 planes for PIA Premier Service through a transparent and competitive process.

President Selling and Market Operations Procter & Gamble said the company had already achieved 20 percent increase in its growth in Pakistan and was ready to further invest $100 million in the country.

Vice President Philip Morris termed the current budget by the government ‘business and investor-friendly’ and said his company wanted to engage with Pakistan for business.

Speaking to the media in London after returning from New York, Nawaz said lasting peace in the region was impossible without the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.He rejected the Indian allegations on Uri attack as “irresponsible” and “without any evidence.”

He said before accusing Pakistan, India should have looked at its atrocious role in the Indian Held Kashmir.He said the whole world knew about the Indian atrocities in the IHK in which around 108 people had so far been killed, over 150 blinded and thousands more injured.

He said the Uri attack could be the reaction of these atrocities, as close relatives and near and dear ones of those killed and blinded over the last two months were hurt and outraged.He wondered how India had hurled accusations against Pakistan only hours after the Uri incident without holding any inquiry or investigation.

He said New Delhi should have held an inquiry and waited for the findings of the investigation before hurling allegations.In response to a question, Nawaz said while addressing the UN General Assembly, he had spoken on all important issues and presented his country’s viewpoint before the world leaders. “There was a specific time for the speech and whatever was important was said,” he added.

To another question, the prime minister said the whole world, including the United States, did not believe in the issue of Balochistan raised by India.To a question about the anger of PML-N workers at the planned PTI rally in Raiwind, Nawaz Sharif said the PML-N workers had been directed not to create any hurdle or come in the way of the PTI rally and he believed the workers would follow the party direction.

He however said it was time for all the political forces to stand united and work for betterment of the country and the nation.To a question about the reports that India was pressurising the Saarc member countries not to attend the regional summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November, the prime minister said Pakistan was preparing for the summit and he hoped all the member countries would attend it.