Acting President Mohammedmian Soomro has said that durable peace in South Asia is possible only by an honourable solution of Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. He said Pakistan has always been pursuing a peaceful policy and its stance on Kashmir is crystal clear, and is in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. The Acting President said this in a comprehensive talk with the newsmen at Jacobabad late Friday night.
He said Pakistan has maintained a consistent approach vis-a-vis Kashmir dispute, and attributed it to the realistic and bold policies of President General Pervez Musharraf due to which the people and the government of India are now showing a lot of flexibility.
He expressed optimism on the outcome of recent visit of the leaders of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to Pakistan. It had provided a good opportunity to understand each other views, he added.
He remarked that the Kashmir had been treated as a back burner issue for the last 50 years, and said it is for the first time that the dispute is internationally highlighted and recognised.
Regarding socio-economic developments, the Acting President said government feels duty bound to bring the less developed areas at par with the developed ones. A preferential policy has been adopted to address the problems of interior Sindh in this regard, he added.
He said National Finance Commission (NFC) Award would soon be announced. He dispelled the apprehensions of injustices to any province.
He said government is striving to lessen the difference between the rich and poor, and cited various social programmes, which helped to bridge the gap in last 6 years. Millions of people were provided job and business opportunities, he added.
The Acting President said Malaysian government has offered recruitment opportunities for thousands of educated youth from Pakistan. A mechanism is being evolved by the concerned ministry to fill these jobs on merit, he added.
He said the social and economic reforms in last six years have started paying dividends. He paid tributes to the leadership of President Musharraf for these achievements.
Mohammedmian Soomro said investment climate in the country is quite conducive due to positive economic policies of the government. Large-scale foreign investment is pouring in Information Technology (IT), communications, health and education sectors, he remarked.
He said, President Musharraf has been making tireless efforts throughout this period, and his frequent visits to the foreign capitals have led to dispelling negative impression about Pakistan.
Acting President described federal budget 2005-06 as very positive and balanced, which is aimed at bringing relief to the common man.
To a question regarding price hike, he said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is taking special measures to keep the prices in control.
Answering another questions he said his visit to Sindh was not politically motivated and he wanted to personally see the pace of progress and social development in different parts of the province. He said Jacobabad will be made a model city and in this regard local and foreign consultants have been asked to undertake its civic planning. He promised to help the Jacobabad's journalists in the repair and refurbishing of Press Club.
Regarding the problems faced by the Zakat Mustahqeen of the district, the Acting President said according to District Chairman Zakat and Ushr Committee, an amount of Rs 35 million has been received from the Central Zakat Council during last one year out of a total allocation of Rs 140 million. He underlined the need of using Zakat funds for permanent rehabilitation of the jobless people instead of making them dependent on Zakat.
He appealed to the journalists to play a positive role by highlighting public problems without indulging in exaggeration and yellow journalism.
He said his doors are always open for the press community and he would welcome them for the solution of their genuine problems.
The meeting was also attended by Mohammedmian Soomro's mother Begum Saeeda Soomro, DCO Jacobabad Shamsuddin Soomro and District Naib Nazim Mir Asghar Ali Panhwar.
Comments
Comments are closed.