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FM says ‘some institutions’ portray their own interests as being in greater national interest and that ‘this habit will also be changed soon’
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Says political instability harmful to manifestation of CPEC
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday extended support to Ashraf Ghani’s proposed political process in Afghanistan and said that Pakistan is ready for one-on-one talks with the Afghan Taliban.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday, at the second Kabul Process conference, offered recognition of the Taliban as a political group and asked the group to take part in peace talks “to save the country”.
Addressing a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Asif stated, “The talks between the Afghan Taliban and the Afghan government are actually discussions between two political forces, and Pakistan will support it.”
“There seems to be no easy way out for the crisis engulfing Afghanistan. Taliban are a political reality of Afghanistan and the country also belongs to them,” he said.
He, however, stated that Pakistan will not sacrifice its interests for the sake of United States and that the US should review its policy if wants peace in the region and added that Pakistan was also ready for one-on-one mediation with the Afghan Taliban.
The foreign minister urged the United States to adopt a more balanced policy for the region, saying that the seed of Afghanistan’s turmoil was planted during the 1980s and it was due to the subsequent surrender of former president Musharraf that the situation got worsened.
Asif severely criticised atrocities committed in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), citing the indifference of the global community to solve the territorial clash. “We are unfortunate to have such a neighbouring state,” he lamented. He said that Pakistan will continue to strike in the event of violations on the Working Boundary by India.
Commenting on the role of political stability in the completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Asif said that “some institutions” portray their own interests as being in the greater national interest, which could obstruct the completion of the project.
“We have already seen how CPEC has already helped mitigate the energy problem faced by Pakistan and 70 per cent of the problem is already over … We have to adjust personal, political, institutional interests. As they say, every other interest comes after the national interest, so it’s about time we rise above petty squabbles, power struggle,” the minister said, hinting at an ongoing power struggle between the state institutions.
“All the institutions must ensure we go through this (critical) phase of CPEC’s early harvesting smoothly and with success. I am a firm believer that this initiative is going to transform this country and region,” he said. The foreign minister further said that Pakistan is currently going through a period of uncertainty but he is “completely certain that the country will come out of it”.
The minister said Pakistan’s location was strategic and it was a hub of regional connectivity. He said the situation in Afghanistan was also an impediment and successful peace process could pave the way for trans-regional connectivity for trade.
“We are witnessing the birth of a new civilisation – the Asian civilisation. The summer of western civilisation is over. Let’s put our differences aside, as our people want us to overcome these challenges and realise the CPEC dream,” the minister asserted.
The minister said Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “One Belt, One Road” vision will benefit 65 countries in the region and this vision was not only the foundation of CPEC development, but also a source of regional economic cooperation.
He said that the ongoing thermal electricity projects will be complete by May 2018. “Consumers who pay the bills will be given uninterrupted electricity, while those who escape from payments will not be given any electricity,” he said.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, PCI Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Mustafa Haider Sayed and others were also present on the launch of the report titled, ‘The Economic Benefits of The Modern Silk Road: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’.
Addressing the audience, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said it was the Asian century and time has come for the South Asian states to take the future of the region into their own hands.
He said that China plans to invest $ 5 trillion in the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) in Asia in the next five years which reflect South Asia would rise to new heights.
“Pakistan is at the centre of gravity of the modern Silk Road as it is directly linked to China through road and maritime links and this strategic location makes Pakistan a major beneficiary of this game-changing economic initiative. Pakistan has started to benefit through the CPEC and we had 5.3 per cent growth rate last year and we expect to have 7.3 per cent rate this year,” he added.
Ambassador Yao Jing said that CPEC is scientifically designed, long-term plan which aims at transforming the whole region and beyond. He said by the year 2020, Pakistan needs 33,000 megawatts of energy and CPEC would provide the same.
“We have a mix of thermal, coal, nuclear, hydel and wind/solar power plants. Work in Gwadar, KKH Phase-II, KLM, Railway upgradation, motorway, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), etc is in full swing. We are also going to engage the private sector in the development of SEZs,” he remarked.
