Decisions on Pak-Iran gas pipeline as per country’s interests

ISLAMABAD:

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the matter of Pak-Iran gas pipeline is old and complicated but the decisions will be taken in the best national interests to meet its energy requirements and fulfill international obligations.

Addressing a news conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign minister said regardless of what the US or any other country says about the project, Pakistan will make a decision by keeping its interest supreme. “Pakistan won’t allow any country to veto its decisions,” asserted Dar.

Briefing the media on 15th OIC Summit in Gambia, the foreign minister said Pakistan played a very active and leading role over the key issues confronting the Muslim Ummah, including immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Islamophobia, IIOJ&K and other economic related subjects.

Dar said that Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) appointed special representative on Pakistan’s recommendation to counter the incidents of Islamophobia.

He said the OIC meeting demanded for ceasefire in Gaza, stopping indiscriminate use of force and making efforts to provide aid to the people of Palestine on humanitarian basis. The OIC meeting also urged the UN Security Council to implement its resolutions.

Dar said Pakistan informed the OIC members about the worst circumstances created by India in IIOJ&K and told them that the condition in IIOJ&K was not different than Gaza and Palestine.

He said Pakistan asked the OIC to convince India for withdrawing the steps taken on August 05, 2019, abolish all subsequent steps, stop human rights violations and release all Kashmiri prisoners, including Yasin Malik.

About Islamophobia, Dar said Pakistan underlined the need that 57-member body of OIC should adopt an effective approach towards this global issue with a solid stance over the malicious and sacrilegious material being circulated on social media platforms which required concerted efforts by all the members.

To a query, he replied that Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman would undertake a visit to Pakistan soon and they would receive a date in the current month.

He added that initial and business to business meetings had taken place which helped in finalizing the groundwork for the top Saudi leadership’s visit to Pakistan.

Read Iran envoy says Pakistan determined to complete pipeline

To another query, Dar said that Pakistan wanted stability and peace in the region and was desirous to have good friendly relations with all, including the neighbouring country Afghanistan.

He said that in recent terrorism incidents, including an attack on Chinese nationals; reports confirmed that the ‘masterminding, planning and triggering took place from the Afghan soil’.

To another question regarding restrictions on social media platform X, he said that Article 19 of the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression and speech but subjected to relevant laws and boundaries.

It did not give blanket freedom to anyone to taint and raise slur with baseless allegations against the national interests and state institutions, he added.

He also brushed aside a set of claims by political leaders about his role in the import of wheat as head of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet.

The deputy prime minister and foreign minister categorically stated that he had not approved any summary in that regard till August 9, 2023 when their previous government completed its tenure.

The minister also rejected assumption about dysfunctioning of Track and Trace System of FBR during their previous tenure, regretting that certain personalities indulged ‘in petty politics’.