A two-day International Seminar on “Crossroads Asia: Dynamics of Peace and Progress” concluded on Wednesday at the National Defence University. The seminar was attended by a numbers of academics, intellectuals, as well as civil, military and foreign dignitaries.
Speaking at the occasion Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that the 21st century was going to be the Asian century but it will need peace, interconnectivity and conflict resolution between all Asian nations. He said that conflicts in different regions within Asia might become the biggest hindrance for sustainable development. He further said that the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East has posed a great challenge to the security and progress of Asia.
He added that to ensure long lasting peace, progress and prosperity in south Asia the aspiration of the Kashmiri and Palestinian people, in terms of their self-determination, must be respected. Without the resolution of the Kashmir and Palestine issue, normalisation in the region is impossible to achieve. He further added that peace in Afghanistan was also key for regional peace and economic development.
He highlighted the geostrategic location of Pakistan and said that, “it has exposed Pakistan to conflict-prong situations in our neighbourhood, which has massively impacted our socio-economic fabric, and progress, as part of a larger fraternity of nations.”
He further added that, “concurrently it is our geopolitical disposition that should promise us a greater responsibility along with a role to unravel these conflict-pronged situations. We need to do our part in erecting sustainable structures for peace and economic growth in a trans-regional setting.”
The President NDU Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal HI (M) mentioned the significance of Pakistan’s geo-strategic disposition and its economic potential in the trans-regional setting. He stated that the world was witnessing the advent of an ‘Asian Century’ and its likely impact is at the crossroads of all regions i.e. Central Asia, West Asia and South Asia. He further added that understandably, the promise of a new era for Asia is indeed not limited to Asia-Pacific. He stressed that at this juncture, it is pertinent to ask ourselves as to how the Asian Century could dawn without a visible progress in peace and progress in the region to which we belong. He stated that no doubt we are at the threshold of a change that should auger well for building trans-regional structures of peace and for uncapping the economic potential and connectivity for growth
Dr Tahir Amin, renowned Pakistani scholar, said that a multi polar world is unfolding before our eyes; the west is declining and the east is rising gradually. To raise the status of Pakistan in comity of nations and to walk side by side with other countries during the Asian century Pakistan must put our house in order.
