Highlighting Pakistan's 'big diplomatic triumph' in the aftermath of Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir President Dr Arif Alvi asked India to lift curbs on occupied Kashmir. Addressing a joint session of the Parliament on Thursday, the President said the Indian steps in occupied Kashmir are posing a threat to global peace. He said the United Nations should send observers to the occupied valley to ascertain the gravity of the situation.
He said the government and people of Pakistan have strongly reacted to the recent Indian actions in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said that India, through its illegal and unilateral actions¸ has not only violated the UN resolutions and international laws, but has also harmed the spirit of the Simla Agreement. The President condemned the use of pellet guns and violent tactics employed by Indian troops.
The President said that it is a big 'diplomatic triumph' for Pakistan that the Kashmir dispute has been brought in for discussion in a special session of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after fifty years, especially when India had made all-out efforts to prevent it. He said that UNSC has to play its legitimate role; otherwise this dispute can turn into a grave danger to the regional and international peace.
He said that Pakistan will welcome any American initiative towards mediation for the just and sustainable resolution of this dispute. The President said that India is trying to silence the voice of Kashmiris by using brutal force. He said today India's secularism and democracy have surrendered to the extremism of RSS. "The lives of nine million Kashmiris are in danger. I appeal to the UN to send its observers to Kashmir to ascertain the true conditions prevailing there," he said.
"Indian armed forces are committing blatant violations of human rights of Kashmiris by such heinous and brutal crimes as slaughter, violence, illegal imprisonments, use of pellet guns, and rape of Kashmiri women," he said.
He said that Pakistan endorses the right to self-determination of the people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the UNSC resolutions and international law. He said that the whole Pakistani nation stands by its oppressed Kashmiri brethren and will continue its moral, political and diplomatic support to them until they are given their just right to self-determination.
He claimed, "India has always been involved in subversive activities and terrorism in Pakistan. One of its examples appeared in the form of the arrest of Commander Kulbushan Jhadav, who confessed that he is a serving officer of Indian navy and the purpose of his arrival in Balochistan was to sponsor and fan terrorism in Balochistan. He was imprisoned for these heinous crimes by a military court of Pakistan. Afterwards, India took the case to International Court of Justice that dismissed all Indian appeals for the acquittal, release, and return of Commander Kulbushan Yadav."
He said that the incumbent government from day one has been endeavoring to formulate policies to materialize the projects of progress and welfare of the country and to implement these policies. He said that in the short duration of one year, 52 cabinet sessions were held, which reflects that the government is proactive. "I am pleased that the Prime Minister, taking personal interest, is watchful of the performance of every ministry," he said.
"I would like to emphasize that it is essential for our economic stability and growth that we focus on technology-driven knowledge economy, so that Pakistan can compete with the developed nations in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We will have to familiarize our youth with the understanding of computer languages and modern knowledge of artificial intelligence, internet of things, cloud computing, and Blockchain," he said.
He said the government has dedicated a huge amount of money for the development and construction of erstwhile FATA. He added that this amount is in addition to Successful Youth Program, construction of low-cost houses, Clean and Green Pakistan, Sehat Insaf Card, and Billion Tree Tsumani.
About the economy of the country, the President said the country is passing through a challenging time. "The government inherited current account and budget deficits and circular debt. Domestic and foreign debts have also exceeded limits. The national economy was on the verge of collapse. A large proportion of our revenues is used to service debts and very little revenues are left for development work," he said.
He said that it is important to note here that compared to the previous financial year, there has been a considerable reduction in our current account deficit, due to increase in exports and decrease in imports. Additionally, remittances have increased and foreign exchange reserves have also gone up," he said.
The President said that Pakistan could not meet its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015. "I would like to underscore here that it is our national responsibility to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to allow the common man to reap their benefits. I expect from all relevant institutions that they will make concerted efforts to ensure achievement of SDGs," he said.
"Smuggling destroys the economy of any nation. It also creates hurdles in international relations. The need of the hour is the will to bring all economic activity into government purview through documentation and to eradicate the bane of smuggling," he said.
President Dr Arif Alvi said that corruption remained rampant during the previous eras and unjust decisions were taken. He said that ignoring accountability, rulers irreparably harmed the national economy. "It is for this reason that our economy could not be remodeled on modern principles and a large part of it went into black economy, whose effects we are reeling from even today," he said.
"To deal with these challenges, the government had to take hard decisions in the budget 2019-20. Tough actions like tax reforms are important for the economic betterment. The FBR has introduced reforms to bring more people into tax net and increase the percentage of taxpayers, which are essential for economic stability. These measures have increased the number of tax filers and it is a continuous process, which ought to continue. I also want that FBR is further reformed and the tax filing is made easier and more comprehensible for the ease of tax filers," he said.
He said that there are huge opportunities of investment in Pakistan. He said that formulation of easy and pragmatic policies for encouraging investments and promoting trade is an important step. "Various countries are willing to invest in Pakistan and various projects are already underway in this regard. The government should provide facilities not only for foreign investors but is very important for domestic investors as well," he said.
He said that another problem that deserves immediate attention is the population explosion, which constrains national resources. About agriculture sector, the President said that agriculture is the backbone of economy. He said that the government has launched Prime Minister's Agriculture Emergency Program for enhancing the yield of basic commodities like wheat, rice and sugar. This Program will help in the promotion of National Oilseed Enhancement Program, protection and optimal use of water reservoirs, fishing, small and medium livestock farming, poultry farming, and olive plantation on commercial scale, he said.
He said that in the development of this sector, for provision of agricultural drugs, fertilizers, and other agricultural tools to farmers at reasonable cost, it is important to formulate an effective and comprehensive policy as well as to ensure easy access of commodities to the market.
He said that it is the basic responsibility of a state to protect the fundamental rights of citizens. "We have to make Pakistan a welfare state, where employment, health of the downtrodden, education, equitable distribution of resources, and justice are available. Provision of easy and speedy justice is a step towards the State of Medina.
In this regard, (i) the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, (ii) the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Bill, (iii) the Letters of Administration and Succession Certificate Bill, (iv) the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, (v) the Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Bill, and (vi) the Mutual Legal Assistance Bill, which are at different legislative stages, are crucial legal steps. I would request the Parliament to pass these bills at the earliest, so that swift justice can be dispensed to people."
The President said that the current government has launched Ehsaas Program. All the welfare programs of this ministry will prove beneficial for the low-income segments of society and those who are living below poverty line. "I direct the incumbent government to ensure transparency in the process," he said.
He said that keeping in view the importance of education for national development, the government has taken all stakeholders on board in the preparation of National Education Policy Framework (NEPF). This is a positive step. He said that cooperation from Benazir Income Support Program is also obtained for this.
He said that overseas Pakistanis are an asset and the government has taken considerable steps for their ease and facility. "I would like that hurdles in transmission of money through banking channels should be removed immediately so that remittances may be enhanced. Digital Payment and Digital Wallet should be arranged so that everyone can make payments through their mobiles. This will also facilitate documentation," he said.
He said that climate change is one of the most complicated global issues. He said that to grapple with its consequences, the government has initiated Clean and Green Pakistan Program, under which 10 billion trees will be planted in 5 years.
He said that the construction of water reservoirs is the need of the hour. The only solution to this is the construction of new dams. "Additionally, we will have to stop the wastage of water," he said. He said that Pakistan is a beautiful country that can attract tourists from across the world. "We have huge potential for religious as well as cultural tourism. Surely, if steps are taken for promotion of tourism, national economy can also be improved," he said.
The President said, "Our nuclear assets are a deterrent to the aggressive designs of our enemies. We are proud that our valiant armed forces have proved their mettle to the world by fighting a long, arduous war against terrorism. The sacrifices rendered by our armed forces for the protection of the country are unmatched. The whole nation stands with them shoulder to shoulder in the security and defense of the motherland."
The President said that Pakistan is desirous of friendly relations with all its neighbors and all other countries indiscriminately on the basis of impartiality, equality, mutual trust and shared interests. "We want peace in Afghanistan through Afghan-owned and Afghan-led political dialogue. Pakistan and Afghanistan have historical relations, which are based on neighborhood, brotherhood and friendship. Lasting peace in Afghanistan will open new trade routes for the region and we will always work with sincerity in this regard," he said.
He said that Pakistan-China relations are an expression of ideal friendship and mutual trust. "Over the time, these relations continue to grow from strength to strength. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is not only beneficial to these two countries but its completion will also usher in a bright future for the entire region."
He said that focus of the CPEC projects has also been shifted to industrial cooperation, socio-economic development, agriculture, third-party participation and Gwadar. He said that the second phase of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China will also open the doors of substantial investment in Pakistan.
The President said that bilateral relations between Pakistan and US are of historical and pivotal importance. He added that during the last few years, these ties have witnessed a downturn due to trust deficit. Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent successful visit to Washington has reversed this trend and started a new phase in the relationship, he said.
President Alvi said that Pakistan's relations with Saudi Arabia are of paramount importance. He added that Saudi Arabia has always fully supported Pakistan through thick and thin. He said that excellent relationship between Pakistan and Iran has huge significance for the common interests of the people of both countries.
"Our special relationship with Turkey spans over decades. We are grateful to this brotherly country that has always stood with us in difficult times," he said. The President said that Pakistan also attaches great importance to its relations with the Russian Federation. "We have been cooperating in various fields of economy, defense and culture, which should further grow with time," he said.
He said that Pakistan wants closer economic, trade and investment relations with Europe and the European Union. In this regard, recent agreement on Strategic Engagement Plan is a welcome development. About media, the President said that government has been encouraging media to perform its positive and constructive role. "I would like to stress that in the current situation, media will have to responsibly play its positive and constructive role, which should be based on truth and national sentiments."
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