Address at Belarusian varsity: We want cordial ties with India, Afghanistan: Nawaz

Says Islamabad’s ties with Moscow are on upward trajectory.

MINSK:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stressed on the need for a peaceful neighborhood, saying that Pakistan wants good relations with all of its neighbouring countries, including India and Afghanistan, on the basis of sovereign equality.

“We want cordial and cooperative ties with India and Afghanistan,” he made the remarks while addressing at the prestigious Belarusian State University where he was conferred the title of Honorable Professor. “Our relations with Russia are on an upward trend,” he added.

Premier Nawaz, accompanied by a delegation of businessmen, is in Belarus on a three-day official visit where he met top Belarusian leadership and inked a number of important agreements laying the foundation for a strong bilateral relationship.

Highlighting the sacrifices the country has given in its fight against terrorism, he said, “Pakistan has lost over 60,000 lives of civilians and uniformed personnel.”

The quantifiable cost of terrorism since 9/11 was in excess of $102 billion, besides the invisible costs due to missed investment opportunities in the country.

“Today, Pakistan stands fully committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from its soil, the prime minister said, adding, “We will not allow our territory to be used by any terrorists, irrespective of their nationality and ethnicity.”

Transparency and merit, he said, are the hallmarks of the present government which aims to revive the economy, overcome energy shortages, eradicate extremism and promote human rights. “We are committed to good governance, curbing corruption, promoting fiscal discipline, widening the tax base, and introducing fiscal measures to promote growth.”

Economic opportunities

Today, Pakistan is one of the most investor-friendly countries in the world, he stressed and pointed out that all sectors of economy are open to foreign investment with no upper limit to foreign equity. “We would like to expand Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the power sector, infrastructure development, agriculture and agro-based industry, mining and oil and gas exploration.”

The prime minister said that Pakistan is a gateway of trade and energy between its northern, eastern and western neighbours, connecting the regions through trade routes, oil and gas pipelines, and power transmission lines.

“We have the necessary infrastructure in place, as well as the manpower. The need of the hour is to improve connectivity and efficiency by spreading a network of roads, railways and telecommunications.”

Pakistan is situated at the confluence of the ancient silk routes - the cusp of Central, South and West Asia which makes it a potential major hub of regional economic activity.

“We are determined to exploit this enormous potential,” he added.

PM Nawaz said Pakistan considers peace and enhancement of regional trade essential for regional prosperity, and mentioned the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which he said would change the dynamics of the region, especially with its connectivity projects.

He mentioned to the audience: “Our region also has ample opportunities of cooperation in the field of energy. We can all reap harvest from various energy projects in the region such as CASA-1000 and the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.” 

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