Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that if the same level of cooperation between Rawalpindi and Islamabad had existed in the past, Pakistan could have achieved several international distinctions much earlier. Speaking in the National Assembly, he described the recent Pakistan diplomatic success as one of the country’s most significant achievements in decades.
Addressing lawmakers, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan is passing through an important period in its history. He stated that the country had not witnessed such a major success in its 78-year history and that the efforts made over the past three years had finally borne fruit. He credited the achievement to national unity and cooperation among state institutions.
The defence minister also congratulated Iran and praised its leadership for representing the Iranian people during challenging circumstances. According to him, long-standing injustices faced by Iran could now come to an end through the recent diplomatic developments. He further noted that Pakistan would host the signing ceremony of the agreement between the United States and Iran in Geneva.
Khawaja Asif said the government remains grateful for the successes achieved during the past year and a quarter. He stressed that if the nation demonstrated similar unity in the fight against terrorism, victory could also be achieved on that front. He urged political and social stakeholders to recognize that the battle against terrorism is a struggle involving all 250 million citizens of Pakistan.
In a separate statement, Khawaja Asif praised Field Marshal Asim Munir for his role in recent developments, saying he had secured victories on both military and diplomatic fronts within a year. He expressed hope that the current leadership would continue to deliver results in the economy and counterterrorism efforts, adding that the recent Pakistan diplomatic success should serve as a lesson for national unity on issues such as Palestine and Kashmir.