Pakistan may suffer international isolation: Sherpao

Calls upon Islamabad to have a permanent foreign policy in view of changing regional political, economic situations

PESHAWAR: Senior Minister in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao has said that Pakistan may suffer international isolation because of its “abnormal foreign policy” in the absence of a foreign minister.

“This needs to be addressed,” said Sherpao, who is also the Senior Vice-President of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), K-P chapter, on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Watan House here, he called upon Islamabad to have a permanent foreign policy in view of the changing regional political and economic situations.

Sherpao cautioned that if the federal government continued to ignore “this reality”, Pakistan was destined to be internationally isolated.

“Pakistan truly needs to reconsider its foreign policy regarding its close neighbours. We are losing friends like Afghanistan and Iran because of a flawed foreign policy,” he said.

Speaking about Fata, the QWP leader said that his party believed that the tribal areas should be merged with K-P. “Any delay in this regard will pave the way for militancy [to creep in again] in the [tribal] agencies,” he feared.

“The delay in Fata merger [with K-P] is intentional. This is sought by some elements who want to safeguard their own vested interests. Delay in implementing the decisions in this regard will nullify the efforts of security forces,” he said.

Criticising the federal government, the senior minister said that it was not investing enough in K-P’s energy projects such as Munda dam. “Such a trend will hurt the spirit of the Federation,” he said.