Pakistan to continue playing role for Afg peace process: Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong determination to continue playing its role for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Addressing the Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Forum here on Monday, the Prime Minister said that peace in Afghanistan is important for promotion of trade and economic activities in the region which will bring prosperity and provide job opportunities to the people.
Imran Khan said that the government is giving priority to uplift the business community and take the country towards industrialisation for wealth creation. He said, “We are making efforts to enhance connections with the business community of Afghanistan in order to benefit from each other’s experiences and give impetus to the trade and economic relations.”
Referring to the belligerent posture of Indian government against Pakistan and the Muslim population, especially those in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan has concerns that India could use the Afghan land to destabilise Pakistan. He, however, said, “Our government has decided to strengthen relations with Afghanistan, no matter who is in power.”
He said that the incumbent Indian government is the worst example of fascism despite its tall claim of being the largest democracy, adding that international organisations and the United Nations (UN) have started to raise concerns over the Kashmir issue.
The Prime Minister said that the Narendra Modi-led Indian government is bent upon inflicting atrocities on innocent Kashmiri people, saying minorities have been under continuous suppression. “It [lockdown] is the worst example of suppression and barbarity,” the premier said.
The Premier said that the incumbent government has always raised the issue on every regional and international forum and would continue the same until the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions. “Now international organisations and the UN have started to raise their concerns over the Kashmir issue,” he expressed.
Hoping that the seminar would go a long way in boosting trade cooperation between Islamabad and Kabul and both sides would be able to build a long-lasting mutually beneficial relationship, PM Imran recalled that Pakistan and Afghanistan have been enjoying cordial relations for centuries and both countries share religious and cultural traditions. He said that Afghanistan has been facing the scourge of war for four decades and the war and conflict bore heavy losses in terms of both human resources and poverty.
Imran said that the future of both the countries depends upon their unity, mutual trade and enhanced economic interlinks. He stressed on facilitating Afghan trade and investors as both countries have vast potential of investment and economic activities, which would bring regional prosperity and development.
Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Imran said that both the countries can become the hub of trade and business due to CPEC. He reiterated that the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process has been the chief concern of the incumbent government and no other country in the world can take credit equal to Pakistan in its efforts to maintain peace in Afghanistan.
He lauded the efforts of Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser for bringing both the countries together on the mutual interest of trade, investment and business as people-to-people contact are vital for regional progress and development.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that building the country’s first knowledge city at Namal University is his dream.
The Prime Minister said this in a tweet on Monday, sharing also the master plan of the knowledge city. He posted an animated video showing the master plan of the knowledge city as envisioned by him with a caption that read: “The Master Plan of my dream to build Pakistan’s first knowledge city.”
Singer-cum-actor Ali Zafar announced in a Twitter post on Sunday evening that he had been appointed as ambassador to the Namal Knowledge City envisioned by Prime Minister Khan as a centre of academic excellence for the marginalized population residing in remote areas.
“Honoured to be nominated ambassador to the first and biggest knowledge city in Pakistan “Namal Knowledge City” envisioned by the honourable Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he tweeted. He said knowledge plays a key role in the development of a country and society.
It is pertinent to mention here that PM Khan had performed the groundbreaking of Namal Knowledge City phase-1 on Saturday last. The Premier was briefed that after completion of the first phase, more than 10 thousand students from deprived areas would benefit from the Knowledge City. It was informed that this project would be environment friendly and a state of the art green structure.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador Munir Akram called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Monday.
Ambassador Munir Akram briefed the Prime Minister regarding proceedings of the 75th UNGA session held recently. – TLTP