Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday claimed that due to the stance taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the world was seeing emergence of a new foreign policy in Pakistan based on mutual respect while also keeping the national interest supreme.

As Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said during his speech in the National Assembly that the nation had to face embarrassment owing to the incumbent government’s performance on the diplomatic front, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said the PTI government’s foreign policy was based on national interests rather than on compromises. She said during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Imran Khan made it clear that Pakistan desires peace in the Muslim Ummah. “He offered to play the role of a facilitator to end conflicts, rather than being part of any dispute,” she said, adding that it was the first time that the UK had agreed to cooperate with Pakistan in checking money laundering. Mazari regretted that the previous government of PML-N never discussed foreign policy matters at the floor of the House nor was a foreign minister appointed during their five-year term. She said the country was still facing the side effects of the compromises made by the previous government.

During the PTI government, the minister said that Balochistan would be given due share in resources and development. She regretted that the previous governments neglected the province and never fulfilled the promises made with the people of Balochistan.

She said the government was also working to address the issue of enforced disappearances in the province.

Earlier participating in the debate over ‘mini-budget’, PML-N’s Khawaja Asif said the government’s initiatives have triggered inflation in the country. He said the foreign minister should forcefully raise the issue of Kashmir dispute and the plight of Kashmiri people at the UN General Assembly session. “When Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Saudi Arabia, PTI leaders said he brought back ’10 arab’, but it is yet to be ascertained whether they meant 10 Arabs or Rs10 billion,” the PML-N leader mocked.

“Pakistan suffered a setback following India’s refusal to hold a meeting between foreign ministers of the two countries. Doubts were also created over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” he asserted. “An announcement regarding granting citizenship to Afghan refugees was later turned into a proposal,” he said, further lashing out at the government. Sardar Akhtar Mengal said the mini-budget would directly or indirectly impact the common man. He also voiced concerns over increase in gas prices. He said Balochistan was not being provided electricity as per its requirement. He demanded construction of dams as well as health and education facilities in Balochistan and claimed that the province was always neglected vis-à-vis provision of fundamental facilities to the people.

Nawab Yousaf Talpur said the government should give special attention to development of agriculture sector. He said the farmers should be given subsidy on fertilizers, seeds and other inputs. PTI’s Andleeb Abbas said previous governments were responsible for the current state of Pakistan’s economy. She said the PTI government would bring change in the lives of the people by bringing the economy on the right track. Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi said that precautionary measures have been taken to check the spread of dengue fever in the federal capital. He pointed out that the government has started fumigation against dengue in the capital territory. He said awareness campaign has also been launched by taking on board all the stakeholders including the civil society to check the spread of the virus.

Published in Daily Times, September 27^th 2018.