Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday said Pakistan wants peace with all the countries including its neighbours. He was talking to a media delegation from Malaysia comprising representatives of Malaysian newspapers and news agencies here at Prime Minister House. Giving a brief overview of the foreign policy, the Prime Minister said Pakistan enjoys good relations with all the countries.
He said Pakistan enjoys strategic relations with China and has close diplomatic and cultural relations with it. He said Pakistan has also close relations with Iran and negotiating a gas pipeline with it.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan has close ties with Afghanistan and extending all possible help in its reconstruction.
Talking about India, the Prime Minister said Pakistan has started a composite dialogue process for resolving all outstanding issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the peace process is irreversible and expressed the hope that there will be progress in the relations between the two countries when President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet in New York next month.
Shaukat Aziz said the Kashmir issue can only be solved if both sides would show flexibility, magnanimity, courage and leadership. The Kashmir issue shall be resolved in line with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmir people, he added.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan achieved a growth rate of 8.4 percent and highest amount of foreign direct investment last year.
The middle class is increasing and manufacturing and exports had showed an upsurge, he added.
The Prime Minister said the structural reforms which have been carried out in the social as well as financial sectors have been far reaching.
He said Pakistan has functioning democracy with a vibrant opposition and free press.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan and Malaysia are both members of Organisation of Islamic Conference and enjoy close relations.
He said these relations have been further strengthened following the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister to Pakistan and his own visit to Malaysia. Pakistani workers are going to Malaysia and Malaysian investors are coming to Pakistan and making investments in all sectors and the PIA has started a flight to Kaula Lumpur, he added.
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