ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Saturday categorically said that drone attacks "must stop" as these were violating country's sovereignty and international laws. "Drone attacks must stop. We have protested several times (over this issue). This is simply unacceptable," he commented at a meeting with German Foreign Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle, who called on the Prime Minister along with a six-member delegation at the Prime Minister's House.
During the meeting, the German Foreign Minister discussed with the Prime Minister bilateral relations as well as the prevailing situation in the region. He conveyed his best wishes on behalf of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan regarded Germany as a close friend and as the Prime Minister, it would be his endeavour to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.
He hoped that Pakistan would benefit from the technological advancement and economic development of Germany. Dilating upon the acute power shortage in the country, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said his government was working to devise a plan to overcome Loadshedding. He invited German investors to exploit this opportunity by investing in Pakistan's power sector.
He said Pakistan welcomed those German investors who would set up thermal power plants which could be run on coal and gas and offered to facilitate the setting up of these plants near coal mines in Pakistan. The Prime Minister expressed the hope that German investors should personally visit Pakistan to see the business climate and assess opportunities offered by Pakistan.
The German foreign minister informed the Prime Minister that the German government was keen to send a business delegation to Pakistan. He said that the German Ambassador in Pakistan would be facilitating the visit of this delegation, comprising 60 German businessmen, which would be visiting Pakistan soon.
Dr Westerwelle proposed that a joint investment conference should be held in Pakistan in which German and Pakistani investors should participate and share their knowledge and explore prospects of investment in Pakistan. He said Germany considered Pakistan as a country with great economic potential and proposed that the bilateral Chamber of Commerce, currently functioning in Karachi, be reactivated and upgraded to give further impetus to economic ties between the two countries.
The German foreign minister also assured Germany's continued support for Pakistan's efforts to get itself enrolled in the European Union's GSP-Plus scheme. The Prime Minister thanked the German foreign minister for the initiatives taken by Germany for deepening of Pakistan-German relations.
"There is a positive sentiment in the Pakistani business community which looks towards my government for good economic policies and encouraging the business sector," the Prime Minister observed. Recalling his previous tenures as the Prime Minister, he listed privatisation of banks and major public sector industries as factors which restored confidence of the business community. As a result of economic reforms carried out by his government in the 1990s, the growth rate of Pakistan had touched 7 percent, he recalled.
Nawaz Sharif said: "We are facing a tough situation, but we have a (capable) team and the determination to revive the economy". The German foreign minister apprised the Prime Minister that he was coming from Kabul where he had held meetings with President Karzai.
He conveyed President Karzai's good wishes and sought an assessment of the regional situation. The Prime Minister said that President Karzai had phoned to congratulate him on his assumption of the office of the prime minister and also extended an invitation to visit Afghanistan. Nawaz Sharif said that over the past few years, he had met President Karzai as the leader of the opposition.
Stressing the need for a multi-pronged policy to tackle the situation in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan wanted to expand co-operation with Afghanistan. Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan was ready to facilitate the withdrawal of coalition troops from Afghanistan and expressed the hope that Afghan army and security forces would be able to manage the situation after the withdrawal of coalition troops from that country.