UAE media curious to know new govt’s targets

• Aizaz calls Kashmir issue a stumbling block in Pak-India ‘peaceful’ relations

ISLAMABAD: Three-member media delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during an initial briefing session held at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) on Tuesday were curious to know about the new democratic government’s goals to achieve the target of economic stability and addressing other challenges as per expectations of the masses.

The members of the delegation included Jumana Ali Tamimi, associate editor of the Gulf News, David Light, a senior reporter at the Khaleej Times and Mostafa Ahmed Khalifa Abu Zaid, editor of Al Bayan newspaper. The members were briefed by ISSI Director General Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry during an initial interactive meeting about Pakistan’s relations with different countries and the vision of the new government to address different challenges.

Briefing the delegation, Aizaz Chaudhry said that the newly-elected democratic government in Pakistan has expressed its commitment to bring reforms in every sector, fulfilling the expectations of the masses. For the third time, a democratic government was in power which was pursuing a reform agenda and the people were quite optimistic that good time would come, he said.

He said that economy of Pakistan needs a turnaround and the government has formed a task force to come up with a viable strategy to overcome economic challenges which is one of the biggest challenges faced by the country. About Pakistan’s relations with different countries, he explained the delegation that Pakistan has always tried to maintain good relations with all the countries.

He said that Pakistan has suffered a lot during war on terror both physically and economically and played big role in wiping out terrorism from the country. About Pak-India relations, Aizaz said that the Kashmir issue was the stumbling block in peaceful relations of Pakistan and India. Whenever the dialogue between the two countries starts, some untoward incident occurs and all efforts were wasted, he said.

About the issue of Afghanistan, he said that the time has proved that there was no military solution to the Afghan issue. All countries must admit that Afghanistan has suffered a lot and its soil should not be used against any country, he said. He said that instability in Afghanistan affect Pakistan. Comprehensive political approach and policy of reconciliation was needed for resolution of the Afghan issue, he added.

Aizaz also briefed the delegation about Pakistan’s relation with China, United States, Iran and Gulf countries and answered their queries. He said that Pakistan was enjoying cordial relation with all these countries but a lot needs to be done to foster its relations. The delegation has already met Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and visited the National University of Modern Languages and Lok Virsa Museum.

The delegation will be visiting different historical and cultural heritage sites in Lahore and Karachi. The basic aim of this visit is to improve bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates and to promote the positive and soft image of Pakistan. ISSI Chairman Khalid Mahmood and other officials of the institute were also present during the briefing.