Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said Pakistan has always played a proactive role to ensure peace and stability in the region as peaceful coexistence is one of main objectives of our foreign policy.
Talking to media in New York on Friday, he said that Islamabad adopted an integrated strategy to counter terrorism and formulated an effective National Action Plan to tackle extremism and terrorism in country.
“As far as the question of our relationship with India is concerned, it is particularly complicated” by New Delhi’s actions in Kashmir – firstly the August 5, 2019 decision to unilaterally annex Jammu and Kashmir and now the delimitation commission move aimed at turning the disputed state’s Muslim majority into a minority, he told the press conference before his departure for Islamabad.
“Having said that, we are very cognizant of the fact that economic activity, dialogue, diplomacy are ultimately the ways and means for countries to engage with each other and resolve disputes,” the foreign minister said in reply to a question.
“I just note that, particularly at the moment, given this aggressive, hostile behaviour, the practical space for that happening is very limited,” he said.
He said that India has openly violated the international laws and resolutions passed by the United Nations regarding Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir by taking illegal and aggressive measures in occupied territory. He said the solution to the Kashmir issue is essential for peace and stability in the South Asian region.
Talking about Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, the Foreign Minister called for joint and collective efforts to address Afghan crisis. He said that international community must play its role in resolving the issue. He said Pakistan has always helped Afghan people in every difficult time and hosted millions of refugees. He warned the world that escalation of the Afghan crisis will affect the entire region.
Replying to a question, he said he would like to pivot away from single-issue transactional relationship with the United States as he seeks to repair ties with Washington.
