Pakistan won’t take dictation: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Overseas Affairs Khawaja Asif on Thursday stated that Pakistan will at all times preserve nationwide curiosity supreme earlier than taking choices and won’t take dictation from any exterior energy or different nation.

Throughout query hour, he stated “We’ll give precedence to our personal pursuits and won’t take dictation from any energy and nation whereas taking vital choices”.

Khawaja Asif stated that nationwide pursuits weren’t saved supreme previously however now Pakistan had been attempting to play position to guard its curiosity.

“We’ll proceed our efforts for peace on Japanese and Western borders however dictation wouldn’t  be  taken from others and nationwide pursuits could be saved on precedence”, he maintained.

He stated Pakistan commerce relations with Afghanistan have been affected throughout the previous couple of years.

He stated that Afghanistan insists to present it commerce route by means of Wagah border which had been denied.

He stated that the Speaker Nationwide Meeting has summoned the assembly of Nationwide Safety Council on February 1,to debate many points together with relation with Afghanistan.

The minister stated that Pakistan’s resolution to hitch US in 1989, 1990 and 9/11 was not in the very best curiosity of the nation.

Khawaja Asif stated “Pakistan pursues the coverage of peaceable neighborhood.

“Our focus is on sustaining and strengthening peaceable and pleasant relations with all neighboring international locations together with China, Iran, Afghanistan and India,on the idea of mutual respect and equality.”

He stated that in recent times, Pakistan had contributed massively for the regional peace and safety and brought profitable navy motion in opposition to all components which can be detrimental to the peace and safety of the area.

“By means of our navy operations, we’ve got cleansed our territory of all terrorist teams that have been threatening not solely the peace in Pakistan but additionally within the area.

We’ve deployed round 200,000 troops on our borders with Afghanistan to interdict cross border motion of the terrorist components” he added.

Khawaja Asif stated that Pakistan is constructing border administration infrastructure alongside Pak-Afghan border with a view to encourage bilateral commerce and facilitate authorized journey between the 2 international locations whereas making the unlawful crossing of the border tough.

He stated, “Pakistan believes that peace and stability in Afghanistan is in the very best curiosity of Pakistan.

We imagine that Pakistan advantages greater than anybody if there may be lasting peace inAfghanistan.

We perceive steady Afghanistan would assist us promote our agenda of financial improvement and regional connectivity.

“ The international Minister stated, “In our reckoning,the one answer to Afghan battle lies in a politically negotiated settlementthat is owned and led by Afghans.

In direction of this finish, Pakistan as a coverage participates in all Afghanistan associated multilateral fora to contribute constructively to the peace and stability in Afghanistan.

” Solely final month, he stated, Pakistan participated within the first assembly of the China-Afghanistan- Pakistan ,Overseas Ministers Dialogue in Beijing.

“The three sides agreed to take joint steps in opposition to terrorism and to not let any nation, group or particular person to make use of their,territory for violence anyplace” he added.

Khawaja Asif stated,“On bilateral airplane, we had shared withAfghanistan a complete engagement plan titled, Afghanistan-Pakistan ActionPlan for Solidarity (APAPS) that envisages bilateral engagement beneath fiveworking teams.

We shall be taking additional steps in coordination with our Afghanbrothers for early operationalization of the working teams.

He stated that Pakistan has been house to thousands and thousands of Afghan brethren,who have been compelled to go away their nation by persistent battle in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has offeredunprecedented hospitality and help to the Afghan folks and prolonged lifeamenities like training and well being at par with the Pakistani residents, he added.

“Over 50,000 Afghans educated in Pakistani instructional establishments, and at the moment are working inAfghanistan’s private and non-private sectors, fulfilling the wants of their nation” he added.

Overseas Minister stated that Pakistan has prolonged 6,000 totally funded scholarships for Afghan college students in Pakistan.

Nearly 3000 have already been availed and one other batch of 750 Afghan college students is about to start out their scholarships in Pakistan.

He stated that Pakistan devoted 100 seats to thefemale candidates.

As well as, Pakistan undertakes capability constructing applications of Afghans from varied professions.

To a different query he stated in line withthe Prime Minister’s imaginative and prescient of a peaceable and pleasant neighborhood, Pakistan is pursuing the coverage of excellent relations with all of the international locations of the area together with Bangladesh.

“Pakistan-Bangladesh relations arerooted in widespread historical past.

Pakistan needs to take care of a ahead lookingapproach in its bilateral relations with Bangladesh” he added.

Nevertheless, the ties are at the moment weighed down by bitter reminiscences of 1971. 

Pakistan has constantly urged the Bangladesh authorities to uphold its dedication as per the Tripartite Settlement of 1974.

 Pakistan needs to maneuver forward and Pakistan and Bangladesh can work collectively for the event of their respective international locations.