Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said that Pakistan is a sovereign state and it would not accept any country’s hegemony in the region. “Pakistan’s role in the region is by no means inferior to India,” she said while talking to reporters at the Lahore Airport on her return from the ministerial meeting of the ASEAN regional forum on Sunday. Hina Rabbani Khar said the outstanding issues with India could not be settled overnight, adding that Pakistan wanted a quick resolution of the Kashmir issue.
The minister said that the international community must extend cooperation to Pakistan in recognition of country’s role as a frontline ally in combating terror. To a query, she said that she had a fruitful meeting with the Chinese foreign minister at the ASEAN forum and we discussed Pak-China bilateral relations, adding that China is time-tested friend of Pakistan.
About her meeting with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton she said that Pak-US relations came under discussion at the meeting, stressing that strong working relationship with the US is in the national interest of Pakistan.
The minister said that the US secretary of state had expressed her will to bring relations back on track with Pakistan and the differences between the two countries can be resolved amicably.
Ms Khar said the US Secretary of State has agreed on the meeting of the Pak-US Foreign ministers soon.
Regarding Ghulam Nabi Fai, she said that the Kashmiri leader has rendered meritorious services for the Kashmir cause in line with the US law and the constitution, adding that Pakistan admires Dr Fai’s services for the Kashmiris.
