Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said that as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would play an important role in further cementing bilateral economic ties between Pakistan and China, Pakistan would closely coordinate with China on CPEC projects, he added.

The president was talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Ambassador Yao Jing conveyed felicitations of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Dr Arif Alvi on assuming the office.

The president said that as the two countries were all-weather strategic partners, Pakistan attached the highest priority to its close relations with China.

He expressed the hope that the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China would further strengthen the strategic relationship between the two countries.

Dr Alvi also said that Pakistan was pursuing the peaceful use of nuclear energy and wanted to further strengthen partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure non-proliferation in the region.

Addressing an international conference on the Global Non-Proliferation Regime – Challenges & Response organised by the Islamabad Strategic Studies Institute at a local hotel, the president said Pakistan was not part of any arms race in the region and its weapons programme was strictly for its defense.

President Alvi said the peaceful neighbourhood was linked with non-proliferation and added that increasing reliance on nuclear arms was not an encouraging scenario.

He said the government considered socio-economic development as its priority, which could be only possible when peace in the region was ensured.

He said that Pakistan fully supported the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and believed that the threat to global peace could only be addressed through mutual cooperation.

He said Pakistan’s nuclear power program fully adhered to the rules and regulations of the IAEA.

He mentioned that the United Nations could play an important role in this regard, however stressed the need for adopting a balanced attitude towards the nuclear states.

He said double standards and exceptionalism could undermine the credibility of global non-proliferation regime.

Dr Alvi said a binding global framework to ensure peace and security in the region could prove helpful in nuclear non-proliferation.

He said the lingering Kashmir dispute was the main reason for instability in South Asia and emphasised that Pakistan and India needed to adhere to the framework of peace and stability.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said Pakistan had been confronting discrimination at international level in the domain of nuclear regimen.

She mentioned that discriminatory instrument in Nuclear Suppliers Group and policy regarding the new entrant states was a challenge.

She expressed the confidence that the conference would help the participants understand the point of view of different countries about nuclear non-proliferation.

Published in Daily Times, October 16^th 2018.