US lauds Pak efforts to promote peace in S Asia

Fatemi in Washington looking forward to work closely with Trump administration

ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) has appreciated the efforts made by Pakistan to promote peace and stability in South Asia. The appreciation came during talks between Special Assistant to Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington.

The US deputy secretary of State expressed concern over the increasing tension between Pakistan and India at the Line of Control. He reiterated the US position on the need for reducing tension in South Asia and promoting closer cooperation and dialogue between the two countries.

The meeting noted that Pakistan’s participation in Heart of Asia Conference in India reflects Pakistan’s commitment to peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. Tariq Fatemi briefed the deputy secretary on frequent ceasefire violations by India in recent weeks with particular reference to targeting of civilians across the Line of Control.

The meeting reviewed the bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United States. --PPI APP from Washington adds: Pakistan is looking forward to working closely with the new administration amid indications that the incoming US President Donald Trump intends to be fully engaged in South Asia to advance peace and security and help resolve the contentious issues between Pakistan and India, including the Kashmir dispute.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi is in Washington to have interaction with the current US administration and reach out to officials who are likely to join the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

In his interaction with the leading US print and electronic media, Fatemi underscored that Pakistan was looking forward to working closely with the new US Administration and wanted the bilateral relations to be further strengthened in future. Once President-elect Donald Trump assumes office, Pakistan would look forward to a meaningful engagement with USA to further improve the bilateral relations, both in the context of regional and international issues.

Fatemi stressed that Pakistan could play a significant role in promoting peace and stability not only in Afghanistan but in the entire region. Pakistan has confluence of interests with USA and there was a solid track record of US and Pakistan working together over seven  decades to promote regional peace and stability.

Fatemi also underlined the need for a sustained dialogue process between Pakistan and India to resolve their long-standing differences, including the issue of Kashmir.

In an interview with NBC News this week, Vice President-elect Mike Pence said that Trump intends to be fully engaged with both Pakistan and India to promote peace in the region. He also suggested that Trump could play a role in resolving the world’s contentious disputes such as Kashmir.

The PM’s Special Assistant told the US media people about the widespread and homegrown uprising in Indian Occupied Kashmir which the Indian government was trying to suppress by force and with massive human rights violations. He said Pakistan was an important democratic country in South Asia and had vital stake in the region and its stability and economic development.

He said Pakistan would be forthcoming in cooperating with the new Administration in the US in achieving peace in Afghanistan and improving Pakistan-India relationship
for the sake of peace in the region.