Pakistan not to take dictation, says Asif
islamabad — Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said that Pakistan will always keep national interest supreme before taking decisions and will not take dictation from any external power or other country.
During question hour in the National Assembly, he said “We will give priority to our own interests and will not take dictation from any power and country while taking important decisions”.
Asif said that 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 not be taken from others and national interests would be kept supreme,” he maintained.
He said Pakistan trade relations with Afghanistan have been affected during the last few years. He said that Afghanistan insists to give it trade route through Wagah border which had been denied.
He said that the National Assembly Speaker has summoned the meeting of the National Security Council on February 1,to discuss many issues including relation with Afghanistan.
The minister said that Pakistan’s decision to join the US in 1989, 1990 and 9/11 was not in the best interest of the country.
Asif said “Pakistan pursues the policy of peaceful neighbourhood. 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.” He said that 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 cleared 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 curb cross-border movement of terrorist elements” he added. — APP