Pakistan is facing security and stability challenges due to threats from its borders and from 'Daesh'. Terrorist attacks in Pakistan in the recent past indicate Daesh involvement. Nation should unite and build enough strength to defeat the sinister designs of the enemies of Pakistan. This can be done by learning lessons from history, building national character through knowledge and executing a determined will to stand on our own feet.
These views were expressed by the participants of 48th conference of Pakistan Visionary Forum held on Sunday, 22nd November at TECH Society Club on the topic of "who makes foreign policy of Pakistan? And recent terrorist attacks at Paris".
Speakers said that the world is uniting to fight against global terrorism after recent attacks in Paris and elsewhere. Pakistan, due to its unique geo-political situation, can benefit from the forthcoming efforts of the western countries against Daesh under the UN umbrella. The world powers should realise that it is high time to revisit their foreign security and economic policies in the light of serious set-backs they have met the entire world over in the past. Rockets and bullets are not the solutions for peace and stability in the world. Only cooperation and a just world order will eliminate the ongoing fiasco. China is emerging as a hope for a balanced world which will be in the interest of Asia, Africa and even for many European countries.
Pakistan's foreign policy is made in consultation with civilian and military experts and executed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is wrong to assume that making of the foreign policy is confined only to one particular institution. The direction of the foreign policy of any country is entirely based on its national interest and its effectiveness depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the country, its political leadership as well as the abilities of its diplomats.
Shamshad Ahmed Khan, former Secretary Foreign Affairs, former Federal Law Minister S. M. Zafar, former Minister of State Qayyum Nizami, former Justice Sharif Hussain Bokhari, Agricultural Scientist Dr Muhammad Sadiq, former Advisor Comsats Dr Hasibullah, former DG Intelligence Bureau Maj. Shabbir Ahmed (retd), Jameel Gishkori, Zubair Sheikh, Salman Abid, Syed Qutub, Aleena Tiwana, Maj. Khalid Nasr (retd), Engr. Mansoor Ahmed and Engr. Yaqoob Chaudhry spoke on this occasion.
It was further pointed out that currently Pakistan is passing through a critical period where, on one hand it is facing challenges of destabilisation and on the other hand its people are showing remarkable feat of resilience. Pakistan's best option to come out of these challenges is to establish a strong, meaningful and serious tripartite collaboration between the people, civilian government and the military leadership.