Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said the BRICS declaration cannot be termed as a failure of the country’s foreign policy.
Speaking to a private news channel, Asif said the declaration was not against Pakistan, however, he added that a new foreign policy will have to be formed with regards to the regional situation.
The foreign minister added that the policy should only be meant to safeguard the interests of the nation and its dignity.
Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa condemned “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” at the 9th BRICS Summit in China on Monday. The member states released the Xiamen declaration expressing concern over the security situation in the region.
Earlier, Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan on Tuesday rejected the Xiamen Declaration naming terrorist groups in the region by leaders of member countries at the BRICS Summit in China on Monday.
“We reject the declaration [released by member countries] at the BRICS Summit,” he said during Tuesday’s meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence.
Pakistan has no safe haven for terrorists on its soil, he said, adding that 40 per cent of Afghanistan is a safe haven for terrorists.
The defence minister said strict surveillance is being conducted on Pakistan’s ground, aerial and naval borders, adding that the country faces no danger of foreign aggression.
On the humanitarian crisis facing Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Khan said the issue is being reviewed and a policy will soon be announced on the matter.
Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations at the 9th BRICS Summit in China on Monday.
The leaders released the Xiamen Declaration, expressing concern over the security situation in the region.
“We strongly condemn terrorist attacks resulting in death to innocent Afghan nationals….We, in this regard, express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir,” said the declaration.
