Economy strong enough to defend the country: Umar

Finance Minister Asad Umar said on Friday that Pakistan''s economy is strong enough to defend the country as all economic indicators have shown positive signs during tensions with India this week. Speaking on the second day of the joint session of the Parliament, he said that despite tensions in relations with India, the country''s economic indicators remained positive.
"We may have some economic issues, but are still capable enough to defend our country," he said, adding that exports registered an increase and the stock market is also seeing a bullish trend despite tensions on the border. The finance minister said that Pakistan has always tried to ensure peace and stability in the region. He said India through its belligerence cannot cow down Pakistan.
Umar said India is also facing failure in Occupied Kashmir, adding that it is a matter of great satisfaction that Pakistani political forces stand united at this critical juncture while a clear wedge is visible in the ranks of Indian political forces. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that India should have done an introspection of the Pulwama incident as it happened in the area where India has broken all records of atrocities and oppression.
He lamented that instead of doing introspection, India put the blame of the incident on Pakistan without realising that Pakistan itself is a victim of terrorism and rendered 70,000 lives in the war on terror.
The minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has played the role of a statesman in the current situation. He said at present India is divided while there is complete unity in Pakistan. He said any conflict between the two countries will be disastrous. He said the entire nation is proud of the Armed Forces including Pakistan Air Force for the way it dealt with the current situation. He said, "We fully stand behind our forces."
Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif lauded the foreign minister for respecting the sentiments of the House and deciding not to attend the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting. He described it as a good decision but stressed that "we should also stress upon our friendly countries" to stop the Indian External Affairs Minister SushmaSwaraj to attend the meeting.
Pakistan Peoples Party''s Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari applauded the squadron leader of Pakistan Air force who shot down the Indian aircraft. He said that the Pakistani pilot is a hero of the nation.
The former president also welcomed the decision to release the Indian pilot, saying time warrants soft diplomacy. He said this will also help build positive image of the country.
About boycott of the OIC meeting, Zardari said that he would wish the foreign minister would have participated in the meeting to highlight Pakistan''s viewpoint effectively.
Taking part in the debate, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator ShibliFaraz said that Pakistan Air Force''s response to the Indian aggression has proved that our Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the homeland.
Pakistan has always played a responsible role for peace and stability in the region, he said, regretting that BJP is cultivating the seeds of hatred and violence. He said India has always interfered and perpetrated terrorism in other countries and advised New Delhi to shun warmongering and pursue the course of diplomacy for resolution of all outstanding disputes including that of Jammu and Kashmir.
Agha Hassan Baloch of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) said that both Pakistan and India are nuclear states and any conflict between them will have disastrous consequences for the region. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that Indian Prime Minister NarendraModi is spiking escalation to win the election. He said the aggressive posture of India stands exposed before the world.
Khawaja Asif of PML-N said Pakistan being the founding member of OIC has taken the right decision by not attending the meeting of Foreign Ministers'' Council. "We should not at all sit at the forums where India is invited especially after its aggression against Pakistan and the gross human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir," he said.
Sabir Qaim Khani of MQM said if India tried to cast an evil eye on Pakistan, the entire nation will give a befitting response to it. "We are ready to sacrifice our blood for the security and territorial integrity of the country," he added.
Tahir Bizinjo of National Party said international community should play its role for resolution of longstanding Kashmir dispute. Senator GhafoorHaideri of JUI (F) said that Pakistan Armed Forces are fully capable to respond to any foreign aggression. He said, "We are proud of our Air Force for giving a knee-jerk response to the Indian aggression."
Speaking in the joint session of the Parliament, Minister of Defence PervaizKhattak extended an offer of dialogue to India for resolution of all disputes, adding that Pakistan is a peace-loving country and does not want war for the sake of regional peace and prosperity.
"Accusing Pakistan of Pulwama incident is the biggest lie of the century," he said, adding that Pakistan Armed Forces have always given sacrifices for the country and they will continue to do so. "We are proud of our forces which responded to the India''s cowardly act in the broad daylight," he said, adding the Armed Forces are fully capable to give a befitting response to any aggression. He warned if India again resorts to aggression, Pakistan''s response will be such that the history will remember.