Pakistan and India should sit down for serious talks on lingering issues for the benefit of the people of both countries, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Nawaz, who is on a private visit to Saudi Arabia, was talking to members of the Pakistan Journalists Forum (PJF) who called on him to congratulate him on assuming the office for the third time.
“We (Pakistan and India) have been piling up weapons for the past 60 years,” he said. “Instead of spending so much on arms, we should focus on investing in social infrastructure for the benefit of our people.”
Citing the example of the US and Russia, he said that India and Pakistan should follow them by adopting similar policies to restrict their defence budgets.
Terming the recently announced Gwadar-Kashgar economic corridor a game changer, he said that special industrial zones would be set up in Gwadar to facilitate foreign investment.
He said the development of this port and the proposed economic corridor would change the dynamics of the region and expressed hope that the project would help boost economic activities in the region.
He said that Gwadar would emerge as the future economic hub of the region and would not only benefit Pakistan but also India, Afghanistan and the Central Asian states. Despite inheriting pressing problems, Sharif sounded optimistic about solving the issues facing the energy-starved nation.
The prime minister, however, said there was no shortcut to success and prosperity. “We need to prioritise our problems. Our foremost priority is to boost economic activities in the country and to check the menace of terrorism.”
Commenting on the ongoing energy crisis, he said there were no quick fixes to this problem.
“We have carefully studied every possible option and are confident that in the next three or three-and-a-half years we will be in position to meet not only our actual energy demands but will also produce surplus electricity.”
He said the government had taken measures to check line losses and electricity theft and those steps had yielded results.
Apart from that, he added, his government was making progress on the Thar Coal Power Project. Nawaz deplored the fact that his predecessors did not attach much importance to this sector. “Had they focused on this sector, the situation of the country would have been different today.”
Construction of new dams, he said, would also help overcome electricity and water shortages in the long run.
Regarding terrorism, he said that without peace, prosperity could not be achieved. Without the rule of law, he said, Pakistan could emerge as a civilised nation.
“Our government is willing to take all measures to check terrorism and root out seeds of sectarianism,” he said.
Without divulging details about his recent talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry, he said that both sides expressed their concerns in a frank manner. “Honest handling will help resolve issues,” he added.
During his visit to Pakistan last week, Kerry hinted that the disputed drone strikes could end soon.
To a question about his reconciliatory approach toward his political rivals with a particular reference to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), he said that he was the PM and it was his responsibility to unite the nation.
The prime minister expressed his resolve to make efforts for the restoration of peace in Afghanistan and to help facilitate the Doha peace process.
Commenting on the ongoing trial of former president Pervez Musharraf, he said he did not believe in politics of revenge. “An inquiry is underway,” he said.
He termed his meetings with King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman extremely fruitful and cordial.
He said that status of premiership demands that he should take everybody along in his efforts to bring prosperity to the country and take incisive decisions whatever was in the best interests of the country.
“The country is now on the path of democracy, which is the right path and our government while following the right path will take right decisions.”
He said that his government inherited numerous problems but it was determined to overcome them.
He also called on Baloch leaders, who are residing outside, to come back to Pakistan and play their positive role for stability and peace.
