Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, said that Pakistan was not in a hurry to speak with India, but ready for dialogue if New Delhi shows seriousness.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, Dar said that Pakistan’s account on the cashmere dispute was based on the truth and that Pakistan managed to repair India’s position. “We are not loose like India; Pakistan’s responses were entirely transparent,” he said.
“We have never begged the world or any other country for the ceasefire; they were doing alone. There should be a dialogue, but it must be between the two countries. When India is ready, we will also be ready. We don’t need to plead to anyone, just as we did for the cease-fire,” he added.
The PM deputy explained that the recent ceasefire along the control line (LOC) was obtained after a call from the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with India being first, followed by Pakistan.
“The ceasefire is successfully progressing in the phases, although it is regrettable that the minister of a neighboring country rejected him as a simple trailer, affirming that the real story is still to come. The real honor lies in peace,” he added.
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Responding to the allegations of India concerning prohibited organizations operating in Muridke and Bahawalpur, Dar said that Pakistan has exposed the facts by allowing journalists to visit these sites. “If we had something to hide, we would not have taken this stage,” he said.
Stressing China’s support in Pakistan’s position on cashmere, the DPM said that Chinese leaders contained that the unrelated dispute is the main cause of regional tension. “We have exposed the lies of India on global platforms, and the world no longer blindly believes their claims,” he added.
Dar described his recent visit to China as an extraordinary trip featuring bilateral meetings and a trilateral consultation session with China and Afghanistan, confirming the complete implementation of decisions taken during the Kabul meeting on April 19.
He said he had kept key meetings with Chinese delegations on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he participated in a trilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, focusing on Afghan refugees, regional security and trade. The three countries have agreed to prevent their territories be used for terrorism.
The DPM noted the preparation of China to launch the CPEC-II in partnership with the current government and thanked Beijing for its support on the IMF rescue package.
Recalling progress on the Pakistani project for the Afghanistan rail transport initiated within the framework of the previous government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), DAR said that Uzbekistan had also been introduced into the plan. “Discussions with China indicate that they are willing to invest in this railway initiative,” he added.
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He said the rail project involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan is approaching finalization. The countries have also discussed the extension of the Belt and Road initiative through Afghanistan and the Peshawar-Kabul road project.
“If China builds the Peshawar-Kabul highway, access to Central Asia will become easier and the port of Gwadar will become fully operational,” said the DPM.
Addressing regional security, Dar condemned the recent fatal attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balutchistan, calling the heartbreaking incident. He swore that the days of terrorists in the region are counted and promised to eliminate them soon.
“We cannot change our neighbors,” he said, adding that diplomatic, commercial and other questions have been discussed in China. He stressed that Afghanistan territory should not be used against Pakistan for terrorism.
Regarding Afghan refugees, DAR has announced a new policy offering a one -year multiple entry visa with $ 100 processing fees. Pakistan is heading for a single document system to rationalize refugee recording.
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He also stressed the deep interests of China in Pakistan’s stability and the common objective of eradicating terrorism. Pakistan, China and Afghanistan have agreed to prevent the growth of terrorist groups and to intensify efforts to combat terrorism.
During multilateral cooperation, DAR revealed that China establishes a large international mediation organization, modeled according to the Asian Investment Bank in Infrastructure (AIIB), whose headquarters are in Hong Kong.
He confirmed his intention to extend the CPEC-II via Afghanistan, including the construction of Karachi motorways in Hyderabad and Sukkur, and a Peshawar highway in Kabul. This infrastructure will open the commercial corridors by Uzbekistan in Central Asia, activating the port of Gwadar as a regional center.
DAR criticized the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), saying that it failed due to “the stubbornness and monopolistic attitude of a country”, referring to India. He suggested integrating the Saarc countries into the Belt and Road (BRI) initiative to form a stronger regional block.
“The upgrading of the Karachi railway lines in Peshawar and linking Central Asia via Gwadar could inaugurate new economic growth for Pakistan and the region in the broad sense,” he said.
