Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that Pakistan’s vision for a peaceful neighbourhood is manifest in Pakistan’s endeavours for regional cooperation and connectivity. He further added that Pakistan pursues development through collaboration with friendly countries as evident from the CPEC, TAPI, and CASA projects.
He was speaking at the Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), according to a message received from St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Speaker highlighted the unresolved Kashmir and Palestine disputes that haunt the conscience of member states. He added that denial of self-determination, human rights abuse and unresolved disputes will continue to challenge progress for peace and security within the region and beyond.
Speaking on the topic of “Regional Security and Counter Terrorism”, the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq outlined that Pakistan attaches utmost importance to peace and security at both the regional and international levels. “We are confident that Pakistan’s peace and development agenda will promote peace and stability in the region and benefit everyone”, he added.
Referring to Pakistan’s sacrifices for the War on terror, he said that Pakistan had paid a phenomenal price for international security and peace which directly led to Al-Qaeda’s diminished presence today. He said that Pakistan is a vital partner for fostering peace in Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.
The Speaker highlighted that terrorism cannot be associated with any religion, race, or ethnicity and underscored the need for a collaborative approach to address this menace. He expressed his concerns about rising incidents of Islamophobia and termed unfair and biased portrayals of Islam, its values, and beliefs as unacceptable.
Talking about the current migration crisis in the Middle East, the Speaker urged the international community to escalate its efforts for restoring peace in the region and underlined the need for more humane treatment of refugees and internally displaced people. He added that deeper connectivity and partnership for development is central to restraining regional crises. Referring to Pakistan’s geographic advantages, untapped potential and willingness for cooperation, he added that “We are determined to convert this enormous potential into a reality with the help of our friends and partners”.