- Asif says Pakistan keen in developing cordial relations with neighbours on equal footings
Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Sunday said that Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices and suffered great economic loss in war against terrorism.
He said that the world should recognise the scarifies of Pakistan to wipe out terrorism. “No country has done more than Pakistan to end terrorism and no country has suffered more than Pakistan,” he said.
“Pakistan is committed to take action against terrorists without any discrimination and its efforts to wipe out terrorism would continue,” he said. “We are minutely reviewing the new US strategy about Afghanistan and South Asia,” he said.
“Pakistan is a peace loving country and keen in developing cordial relations with neighbouring counties on basis of equal footings and we are making strenuous efforts to maintain peace in the region,” he said.
The minister said that after the parliament session he would visit regional countries for bilateral consultation on the current issue. Last week, Pakistan decided to launch a diplomatic offensive to muster maximum diplomatic support from friendly countries to counter the American pressure over the Afghanistan issue.
For capitalising the diplomatic support, the foreign minister’s planned visit to Washington would be delayed for the time being and it would be rescheduled once the minister returns from his foreign trips. Foreign Minister Asif would soon be leaving for China where he is expected to hold meetings with his Chinese counterpart.
The minister also plans to visit Iran, Turkey, Russia and other countries to discuss future course of action. After the meeting, Asif would hold a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson soon in Washington to discuss their new South Asia policy.
CONSPIRACIES AGAINST PAKISTAN: Addressing a public meeting in Shakargarh, Federal Minister for Privatisation Daniyal Aziz Chaudhary said that the political opponents were following undemocratic agenda of weakening Pakistan politically and economically.
He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) was successfully thwarting all conspiracies against Pakistan. The government would not allow anyone to derail democracy and destabilise the democratic system in the country, he said.
All the political opponents must think for the well-being of the country instead of doing their negative politics for their personal gains, the minister said and criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership. He said that the PTI has closed the doors of accountability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by closing the NAB there.
He said that PTI’s massive corruption in the province could also be brought before the nation as well. Daniyal pledged to make all out efforts for the uplift of Shakargarh by ensuring the early and smooth provision of the basic facilities to the people at their doorsteps as well.