Envoys’ conference: Islamabad sticks to peace despite Delhi tirade

ISLAMABAD:

Amid the ongoing verbal war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has resolved Pakistan will continue to strive for a “peaceful neighbourhood” despite hostile provocation from India.

“We will continue our quest for a peaceful neighbourhood,” the premier said during his address to the envoys’ conference at the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Thursday. “But there should be reciprocity and acknowledgement of the overtures I have made to promote the dialogue process.”

The PM said the entire nation was dismayed by the recent “irresponsible” statements coming from the Indian political leadership. “This vitiates the atmosphere and takes us farther away from our goals of regional peace and stability,” he regretted.

In the face of increasing anti-Pakistan rhetoric from India, Nawaz said Islamabad would protect its vital interests at all costs. “This message must be heard loud and clear,” he emphasised. At the same time, however, Pakistan would not abandon its “high moral ground” because of provocations, he added.



In what appeared to be a reference to the Indian intelligence agencies’ alleged involvement in fomenting unrest in Pakistan, PM Nawaz said that externally-sponsored terrorism and violent extremism posed a grave threat to a secure and prosperous Pakistan.

Turning towards the longstanding Kashmir dispute, he made it clear that the issue could not be relegated to the back burner.

“In Dushanbe on Tuesday, I urged [UN] Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to play a proactive role in promoting peace in the region; and reminded him that it was incumbent on the UN Security Council to ensure early implementation of its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir,” the premier told the envoys.

Common enemy

Reiterating the country’s desire for regional peace, the PM said Pakistan had also assured Afghanistan that its ongoing military offensive was aimed at against all terrorist groups.

“Last month, I told President Ashraf Ghani the enemies of Afghanistan cannot be friends of Pakistan,” he said. “There are no good and bad terrorists. We will fight them all.”

The premier’s statement appears to be addressing the concerns of Kabul, which believes Islamabad is still supporting insurgents in Afghanistan.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani this week reportedly said Pakistan had launched an “undeclared war” against Afghanistan for the last 14 years, in what appeared to be a reference to the country’s alleged support to the Afghan Taliban.

Addressing the envoys, PM Nawaz said Pakistan and Afghanistan had moved closer because of joint efforts being made by the leadership of the two countries. “Along with President Ghani, we have resolved to fight together our common enemy – terrorism. We are strengthening our ties in the fields of trade, education, military training, and intelligence cooperation,” he said.

He said the Zarb-e-Azb operation had already dismantled terrorist networks, disrupted their command and control system and debilitated their supporting infrastructure. “We are succeeding, but it is still a long haul, as we take on all kinds of ethnic, communal and sectarian violence,” he cautioned.

Regional connectivity

About the recently announced China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the premier said the multibillion dollars project would be a game-changer as it would help regional connectivity and economic development.

He said it was time for Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and Eco (Economic Cooperation Organisation of 10 Muslim states) to become the connectivity backbones for South, Central and West Asia. The PM urged the envoys to promote Pakistan as a destination for investment, trade, production and distribution. The three-day conference drew to its close with a host of recommendations presented to the prime minister. Ambassadors from 14 countries posted in Saarc and Eco countries attended the closed-door discussions.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2015.