ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Monday said the government had restored peace and stability in the country and would adopt policies to safeguard its future.
The country was confronting various challenges and the government would counter them through successful policies, he added.
The Advisor was giving a statement on an adjournment motion of Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of Pakistan Muslim League-Q about the speech of US President Barack Obama, mentioning instability in various parts of Pakistan.
Referring to the efforts made by the government during the last two and a half years, he said the operation Zarb-e-Azab was 90 per cent complete and had achieved the desired results. The Karachi operation was also a success story, he added.
Citing the report about the National Action Plan, he said terror activities (bomb attacks) had decreased by 50 percent in 2015 as compared to 2014. More effective steps would be taken to ensure complete peace in the country, he added.
Sartaj Aziz said that foreign policy was on right track and better relations with neighbouring countries were on priority.
Predictions about any kind of instability would be proven wrong as the government had a strong resolve to root out terrorism and extremism from the country, he added.
Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States was a positive sign. It reflected that Pakistan did not support regime change, rather it backed the peace process, he added.
Azam Swati of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said the present policy was yielding results and this should continue in the larger national interest.
Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum said the government should take Obama’s remarks seriously that in which context he had made the statement.
The US remained involved in launching drone attacks but Pakistan made successful efforts to root out terrorism. The government was successfully working to revive economy.
Senator Javed Abbasi said the government was fighting a successful war against terrorism, which was an evidence of its seriousness towards peace.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Nihal Hashmi said that Obama should also have mentioned Indian atrocities in Kashmir and the Palestine issue. There was a need to forge unity and defeat all kinds of threats, he added.
The PML-F Senator Muzaffar Hussain Shah said Obama had made a wrong assessment about Pakistan. “We should put our house in order to effectively face such challenges.”
Pakistan People’s Party (PPPP) Saussi Palejo said the Parliament was an important forum and the issues should be discussed here to work out effective solutions.
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s (PkMAP) Usman Kakar said that dictators paved way for world powers to interfere in domestic affairs. “We should not be used as a tool against others,” he added.
Senator Salahuddin Tarmizi asked the government to give a befitting response to such statements.
PPPP’s Farhatullah Babar asked the government to review its policies regarding terrorism .
PML-N Senator Muhammad Hamza said that the Islamic teachings should be implemented and unity should be forged in ranks to counter challenges.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Hafiz Hamdullah said that two world wars had been fought among secular powers not by Muslims. Islam was a religion of peace and Pakistan should have to review its strategy as far as stability was concrned.
Mohsin Leghari said Pakistan was moving in right direction.
Source: APP
