Unmet promise : PM presses UN chief on Kashmir

Antonio Guterres assures Nawaz of ‘constructive role’ for Pakistan.

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has assured Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of playing a constructive and positive role for countries in the region, including Pakistan.



The premier met the UN chief on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Prime Minister Nawaz  said Kashmir was an international dispute, which remained on the agenda of the Security Council and stressed that a sustained dialogue process on all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, was vital to make progress. “It was in that spirit Pakistan invited India for discussions on the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he was quoted as saying but added that New Delhi did not respond positively.

Meeting his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg, the premier said Pakistan greatly valued its relations with Norway. The two leaders called for exploring new avenues of cooperation. The Norwegian prime minister expressed the desire to harness the trade potential in Pakistan.



Head of the Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates appreciated Pakistan’s tremendous success in polio eradication from the country over the past three years. While commending the leadership role of the prime minister, Bill Gates said the year 2017 would be a year of polio eradication from Pakistan.

The prime minister briefed Bill Gates on the measures taken by his government in the fight against polio.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2017.