Bilawal has asked for a reassessment of the national strategy against terrorism.
The Foreign Minister has stated once again that Pakistan will not recognize the Afghan government on its own.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari emphasised on Friday the need for a review of the country’s anti-terrorism approach to eliminate the factors that gave rise to militancy. At the same time, he repeated the country’s call on Afghanistan to take measures to prevent its soil from being used for attacks on its neighbour.
At a press conference that was held in Islamabad by Bilawal, the foreign minister emphasised that Pakistan would not go it alone in recognising the interim government of Afghanistan.
Nevertheless, he emphasised the significance of engaging in dialogue with the Afghan Taliban in order to prevent a humanitarian crisis in that country.
According to Bilawal, the people who live in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have always opposed terrorism and supported efforts to promote peace. “It is obvious that they are exercising their right to protest, regardless of whether or not they are correct in their belief that terrorists are returning. “It is our responsibility as a government and as a state to ensure that peace, the rule of law, and the writ of the state are upheld,” he stated.
“I suggested to one of the questions before you that perhaps it is time for an in-camera internal review on decisions regarding terrorism and internal security,” he said. “I suggested that perhaps it is time for an in-camera internal review on decisions regarding terrorism and internal security.” “There is nothing wrong with re-examining the approach on counter-terrorism viz-a-viz developments in the region,” he added. “There is nothing wrong with re-examining the approach on counter-terrorism.”
Bilawal asserted that peace in Afghanistan was essential for Pakistan and the surrounding region, and he urged the international community to engage in dialogue with the interim government of Afghanistan in order to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. In addition to this, he demanded that the authorities in Afghanistan carry out their commitments, particularly in regard to human rights and the education of women.
“When we came to power, we decided to engage with Afghan authorities regardless of our differences for greater national interest,” he continued, “[but] we won’t take a solo flight on the matter of recognising the Afghan government.” [Citation needed]
In response to the question of whether or not achieving peace in Afghanistan necessitated fighting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), he stated that it was necessary to conduct an internal review of the policy. When asked about the TTP, he stated, “I never think it is as easy as black and white – either war or negotiations with them.”
He mentioned that the support of the nation was instrumental in putting an end to terrorism that originated in the tribal areas. He said that terrorist attacks on Pakistan’s security forces that originated from the Afghan side were the cause of the closure of the Chaman border point, and he urged Afghanistan not to let its territory be used against its neighbour. He was speaking about the closure of the border.
Goals of the nation’s foreign policy
According to Bilawal, the coalition government had made good efforts to restore the foreign policy objectives by holding’meaningful’ high-level diplomatic engagements. He said this in response to a question. He emphasised that the country’s foreign policy was headed in a constructive direction.
He had high hopes that the policy that had been decided upon by the coalition government would assist in the accomplishment of the objectives of development by addressing significant issues such as the fight against terrorism and the promotion of economic cooperation. “The main priority of the government is to put the interests of the country first.
removing the hyphen from Pak-US ties
The minister emphasised how vital it is to keep a healthy relationship with all countries, including the United States and China, and to engage in constructive outreach. He went on to say that the hyphen in the relationship between Pakistan and the United States had been removed.
He went on to say that complications arose every time it seemed as though there was a lack of coordination between the two nations. On the other hand, as of recently, “now we have very positive and productive engagements with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and a positive direction with regard to Pakistan-US relations has become visible.”
In a similar vein, Bilawal revealed to the press that not long after he was appointed to the position of foreign minister, he made his first trip to China and met with the top leadership there to discuss further enhancing the economic and political ties that exist between the two neighbouring countries.
He added that the projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the return of Pakistani students to Chinese universities and educational institutions, and bilateral cooperation in the fight against the threat of terrorism were the primary focuses of his engagements with the Chinese government.
GSP-Plus status
According to the minister of foreign affairs, the government will continue to place a high priority on the consistent implementation of both action plans, the primary focus of which is to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism. He mentioned that the GSP-Plus programme offered by the EU was instrumental in the recent exponential 80% growth in the country’s export outlook.
He also mentioned Pakistan’s active participation in international blocs and organisations, such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Conference of Parties (COP27), and the Group of 77. Specifically, he mentioned Pakistan’s participation in the United Nations.
However, when the foreign minister was specifically asked about the former prime minister and current chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, regarding “leaving the American conspiracy behind,” the foreign minister responded by saying, “We welcome the latest U-turn of Mr. Khan.”
According to earlier statements made by Imran Khan, there was never a conspiracy on the part of the United States. According to what he said, “Pakistan and the United States enjoy a historic relationship that serves the interests of their respective peoples.” He referred to the current political climate in the country as “a storm in a teacup” and expressed regret over Imran’s lack of engagement in the face of the numerous challenges that are confronting the country.
In order to achieve economic stability, the minister emphasised the importance of concentrating on “trade instead of aid” with other countries. He expressed his regret that the country was currently facing a crisis in both the agricultural and educational sectors as a direct result of the actions taken in the country’s history. In addition to this, he urged continued support on both the national and international levels to reduce the negative effects of climate change.
Bilawal was quoted as saying that Pakistan desired a peaceful engagement with all of its neighbours in order to ensure the growth and prosperity of the region. On the other hand, he drew attention to the fact that a nearby state was complicit in the nefarious activities of terrorism that were being carried out in Balochistan.
Concerning the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline, the foreign minister advocated for the resolution of issues and obstacles through the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in order to derive the greatest possible benefit from the infrastructure development project. In order to address the issues that are faced by everyone around the world, he advocated for communication and diplomacy.
He referred to the murder of veteran journalist Arshad Sharif as a “traumatic incident” and stated that serious efforts were being made to bring the case to an appropriate conclusion. He stated that the Pakistan People’s Party has always put the concerns of Pakistani citizens ahead of political considerations and placed them in the highest priority.
