World can’t afford era of Cold War: Shehbaz

NEW YORK: As US-China relations grow increasingly tense over Taiwan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan will be “happy” to play a positive role to bridge their differences in the interest of peace and stability in the world, if the two parties so desire.

“If China and the US so desire, Pakistan would be happy to play a positive role to bridge their differences, as we had done in the past,” he said in response to a question during a wide-ranging interview with Newsweek.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the world cannot afford to go back into another “era of Cold War or bloc politics”. Pakistan continues to highlight the need for avoidance of a confrontational approach, he said, adding that bloc politics and any drift towards cold war will not produce any positive results, and in fact would be counterproductive for growth and stability.

Newsweek Senior’s Foreign Policy Writer Tom O’Connor, who conducted the interview via e-mail, pointed out that the Pakistani leader spoke about the need for greater international cooperation, the role Pakistan could play in preventing the world from sliding into an ever deeper set of crises, and other key issues.

Closer to home, Sharif discussed the turmoil plaguing neighbouring Afghanistan, the unresolved Kashmir dispute, and an uptick in militant attacks within Pakistan’s own borders that threatens its own national security at a time of domestic political challenges. “The present government is truly national in nature,” Sharif said, referring to the coming together of the country’s all political force on an agreed-upon national agenda of economic reform and stabilisation. Replying to a question, he said Pakistan desires to build a broad-based and sustainable partnership with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit. “We encourage major US companies to invest in Pakistan’s lucrative market and enhance commercial ties, particularly in its growing IT sector,” PM Sharif said. On the Ukraine conflict, he called for a diplomatic solution in accordance with relevant multilateral agreements, international law, and the provisions of the UN Charter.

On tensions with India, the prime minister said Pakistan desires good relations with all neighbours, but India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019 in IIOJ&K (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir) were a huge setback to Islamabad’s efforts to build regional peace. Pakistan, he said, has always been ready to promote peace in the region on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality, emphasizing that the core issue between India and Pakistan is the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the resolution of which will open new vistas of cooperation.

On the deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the prime minister said, “Our message to the international community would be to remain engaged, continue to assist the interim government in key social and economic areas, and unfreeze Afghanistan’s financial assets to help build a sustainable economy. Responding to a question, PM Sharif said Pakistan is determined to root out terrorism. At the same time, he said, “It is also no secret that Pakistan has been one of the biggest victims of state-sponsored terrorism that is planned, supported and financed by hostile intelligence agencies.