Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on Thursday said despite facing difficulties Pakistan has been playing an important role in the war on terrorism in its national interest without any external pressure. In an interview with APP, he said: "Pakistan's participation in the war on terrorism is in national interest with a purpose to promote peace in the region."
He said Pakistan's armed forces were one of the most disciplined in the world and have been playing a major role in peace-keeping forces of the United Nations and are the largest contributor to UN peace missions.
Kasuri said there was some disturbance in North and South Waziristan, but the security forces of Pakistan have been making sincere effort to curb extremism and terrorism as such activities have defamed the country. He said over 100,000 Pakistan Army personnel were deployed inside Pakistan at the Afghan border to ensure peace.
Kasuri said: "Pakistan has suffered the highest ever loss to its forces as they are facing difficult situation in the region." The Pakistan Army has to adopt new tactics in the region and besides military tactics, it was taking political steps as force alone could not resolve the issue.
The minister said tribal leaders had been involved to ensure peace and security in the region, while the Government of Pakistan has also undertaken a number of steps for economic development in the region. "We supported the jirga and it has positive effects," he added. The minister said people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan were very close due to common culture, history and traditions.
Referring to the recently held jirga in Afghanistan, Kasuri said it was useful and constituted many sub-committees. The next meeting of the jirga will be held in Islamabad, he added.
He said Nato and ISAF's were facing problems as they do not know the area well. Kasuri said instead of relying on "raw forces," who did not know the area properly, the main emphasis should be on the local forces.
Answering a question about foreign pressure on Pakistan to participate in the war on terrorism, the minister said: "There are areas where we disagree with each other like issues of Iraq and Iran where Pakistan does not support American point of view."
The minister said there is a need to hold dialogue with the local people so that extremists and terrorist are isolated. Kasuri also referred to the India-Pakistan-Iran (IPI) gas pipeline project and added that despite reservations it was still going on.
Pakistan is a sovereign state and it does not get dictation from any country on its national interests, he added. Referring to relations with America, the mMinister said: "We have harmonious relations, sharing information and intelligence and working on the agreed mechanism."
Kasuri said due to its strategic location in the region, Pakistan was providing links to Central Asia, South Asia and West Asia and could play an important role in promoting the linkages.
He said Pakistan's coastline is the shortest route to China and other countries in the region. He said Central Asia, China, India and Iran are the most important neighbours of Pakistan having 60 percent of the population of the world.
The foreign minister said Pakistan is the important member of Islamic world and as a nuclear power, playing a vital role in establishing regional peace and security. He said Pakistan has very close and good relations with its neighbours and other members in the West. He said relationship with India is historically not good, but these ties are improving.
The minister said more than one million soldiers of both Pakistan and India were eye ball to eye ball in 2001 and remained in the same position for 10 months, but due to balance of power, the war was averted.
Kasuri said that Pak-India relations have been improving but still the problem of Jammu and Kashmir needs to be resolved. He said due to confidence building measures (CBMs) between Pakistan and India the relationship between the two countries have improved.
He said Pak-China relations are excellent and added that China is more dependable friend and ally of Pakistan. Pakistan has Free Trade and many other agreements with China and both countries are co-operating in defence, economic, and other fields, he added.