News
Monday, March 10, 2008
Pak-US ties must be long-term, says Shaukat
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: Former prime minister Shaukat Aziz told the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles over the weekend that the essential lesson from the long and cyclical history of US-Pakistan relationship was to have a deeper, constructive and sustained engagement. Aziz, curiously, made no mention of the February 18 elections, the defeat suffered by his party and the uncertainty hanging over President Pervez Musharraf’s head. Aziz said that whenever Pakistan and the US had worked together, both countries and the world have benefited, but when the relations frayed, their interests were damaged. He referred to a March 2006 joint statement by presidents Bush and Musharraf that committed both countries to work together to ensure the maintenance of peace, security and stability in South Asia and beyond; build a robust defence relationship that advanced shared security goals, promote regional stability and contribute to international security; and ensure effective cooperation in fighting terrorism and extremism. The closest the former prime minister came to making any reference to the dramatic political change that had taken place in Pakistan was when he said that during the last few years, Pakistan’s economy was growing, democracy was deepening, and governance improving. “We have made advances in promoting ‘Enlightened Moderation’ and building a human rights culture. The economy has grown at an average rate of 7 percent during the past four years. It is now counted among the fast growing economies of the Asian region.” He spoke about extremism and terrorism representing a common threat to all. He called on the US to remain positively engaged to encourage the Indo-Pak peace process and efforts for a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir dispute. He said, “It is imperative to avoid any assertions or action that would undermine our sovereignty, be inconsistent with international law, unacceptable to the people of Pakistan, and detrimental to the ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation. We do not need external help, as Pakistan’s armed forces are capable of dealing with any situation.”
Courtesy Daily Times