ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said Pakistan would always keep national interest supreme before taking decisions and would not take dictation from any external power or other Country.
“We will give priority to our own interests and will not take dictation from any power and country while taking important decisions,” the mistier said in the National Assembly during question hour.
Khawaja Asif said national interests were not kept supreme in the past but now Pakistan had been trying to play role to protect its interest.
“We will continue our efforts for peace on Eastern and Western borders but dictation would be not taken from others and national interests would be kept on priority”, he maintained.
The minister said Pakistan trade relations with Afghanistan were affected during the last few years. He said Afghanistan insisted to give it trade route through Wagah border which had been denied.
Asif said the Speaker National Assembly summoned the meeting of National Security Council on February 1 to discuss many issues including relation with Afghanistan.
The minister said Pakistan’s decision to join the United States in 1989, 1990 and 9/11 was not in the best interest of the country.
“Pakistan pursues the policy of peaceful neighborhood. Our focus is on maintaining and strengthening peaceful and friendly relations with all neighboring countries including China, Iran, Afghanistan and India, on the basis of mutual respect and equality,” Khawaja Asif said.
Khawaja Asif said in recent years, Pakistan had contributed hugely for the regional peace and security and taken successful military action against all elements that are detrimental to the peace and security of the region.
“Through our military operations, we have cleansed our territory of all terrorist groups that were threatening not only the peace in Pakistan but also in the region. We have deployed around 200,000 troops on our borders with Afghanistan to interdict cross border movement of the terrorist elements” he added.
In addition, he said Pakistan was building border management infrastructure along Pak-Afghan border with a view to encourage bilateral trade and facilitate legal travel between the two countries while making the illegal crossing of the border difficult.
“Pakistan believes that peace and stability in Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan. We believe that Pakistan benefits more than anyone if there is lasting peace in Afghanistan. We understand that a stable Afghanistan would help us promote our agenda of economic development and regional connectivity,” he said.
“In our reckoning, the only solution to Afghan conflict lies in a politically negotiated settlement that is owned and led by Afghans. Towards this end, Pakistan as a policy participates in all Afghanistan related multilateral fora to contribute constructively to the peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added.
