‘Economic ties with neighbours to be based on mutual benefits’

PM says NAP being fully implemented;
chairs meeting of civil, military leaderships

ISLAMABAD: Spelling out the country’s foreign policy’s priorities in the backdrop of tense ties created by the eastern and western neighbours, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has made it emphatically clear that Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence with all the countries of the region and looks forward to establishing strong and mutually-beneficial economic relations with the neighbouring countries.

Chairing a high echelon meeting of the civil and military leadership on foreign affairs here at the Prime Minister’s House on Tuesday, the prime minister maintained that peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and economically-integrated region must be the shared objective. “This could be possible only when we demonstrate a commitment to our aspirations of peace, progress and prosperity,” he said.

The premier said the National Action Plan (NAP) to counter terrorism was being fully implemented. The meeting, which was for the first time attended by the new Chief of the Army Staff and DG ISI in their incumbent assignments, reviewed the current status of the country’s relations with its neighbours and strategic partners.

It has been divulged that the high-level gathering also reviewed the bilateral and multi-lateral relations with neighbouring countries, future roadmap for regional stability and maintenance of mutually beneficial relations with all countries in the region and beyond. The participants had candid discussion pertaining to the subject and offered their valued input on the theme.

The Prime Minister’s House has stated that the meeting evaluated various policy options in response to different challenges with regard to foreign relations. The discussion has brought about further clarity regarding the subject under discussion. The meeting focused on issues pertaining to regional, external and internal security situation. The participants agreed that Pakistan's continued efforts and remarkable sacrifices of both men and material in the war against terrorism have produced positive results, which are universally acclaimed.

The leadership also took stock of the impact of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its various dimensions.  The prime minister reminded that CPEC is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s own quest for regional connectivity and shared prosperity. The meeting expressed its resolve to continue to pursue the CPEC and execute the project according to the agreed plan, the sources said.

The meeting was attendedby Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi, National Security Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, Secretary to the Prime Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad and other senior officials.

Meanwhile, a statement of the National Assembly Secretariat said Nawaz Sharif will dilate upon new dimensions of Kashmir dispute tomorrow (Thursday) in the wake of serious developments in the region while inaugurating the first international seminar on the dispute to be sponsored by the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF), National Assembly of Pakistan. 

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will be hosting the two-day meet. The right to self-determination that has been guaranteed by the United Nations but perpetually denied by occupying India to the Kashmiri people and grave human rights violations of the Kashmiri people by the occupying Indian forces would be focal agenda of the seminar.