Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said that India's hegemonic pretensions coupled with a history of aggression against its neighbours present a clear danger to regional stability and Pakistan's security. Speaking on Pakistan's foreign policy here at Air University, the Foreign minister said that India is pursuing a massive build-up of its nuclear and conventional military forces and acquiring destabilizing capabilities.
These include nuclearization of the Indian Ocean and deployment of anti-ballistic missiles (ABMs); development and testing of debris-generating Anti-Satellite (ASAT) weapons; and a constant increase in the readiness, sophistication and diversification of all types of delivery systems and platforms, he said, adding that this country resorts to war-mongering and issues nuclear threats including for short-term domestic electoral gains.
He said that India has repeatedly signalled changes to its declaratory nuclear posture while flirting with preemptive and counterforce tendencies. This, he said, is in addition to its already existing aggressive military doctrines that envisage war-fighting below the perceived nuclear threshold. He said that India refuses to bilaterally engage in dialogue and rejects proposals aimed at risk reduction, confidence-building and nuclear and missile restraint.
"These hegemonic pretensions coupled with a history of aggression against its neighbors present a clear danger to regional stability as well as Pakistan's security," he said. "Pakistan desires peace and strategic stability in order to focus on its socio-economic development agenda. Our conduct continues to be defined by restraint and responsibility, and the avoidance of an arms race," he said. Pakistan, however, cannot remain oblivious to the evolving security dynamics in its immediate neighborhood, he added.
Referring to situation in the Indian-Occupied Kashmir, he said that India, through illegal actions of August 5, sought to further consolidate its illegal and immoral occupation of IOK in violation of numerous UNSC resolutions and international law. Qureshi said that India's intention is to alter the internationally-recognized disputed status of occupied J&K and to change its demographic structure and identity.
He said that the inhuman lockdown of 8 million people continuing for over 70 days is imposing unspeakable sufferings on the people of the IOK. The desperate attempt by India to portray a situation of "normalcy" in the IOK is in sharp contrast to reports of torture and detention by the international media, he said, adding that they are indicative of a reprehensible Indian design to spin an alternative reality to mislead the world.
Similarly, he added that reprehensible is the fiction being advanced by Indian authorities regarding restoration of mobile phone service in the IOK. The Foreign minister reiterated Pakistan's commitment to continue to stand by Kashmiris in their just struggle for realization of the right to self-determination. Referring to situation in Afghanistan, Qureshi said that the turmoil and protracted war in Afghanistan has immeasurably affected Pakistan and its society.
He said that Pakistan is fully supporting peace and reconciliation to be achieved through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process, adding that Pakistan has supported all rounds of Afghan peace talks in Doha and Abu Dhabi. "We hope that the US-Taliban talks recommence and lead to intra-Afghan negotiations," he added.
He said that Pakistan welcomed the agreements reached in the China, Afghanistan and Pakistan third Trilateral Foreign Minister's Dialogue held on September 07. He hoped that deeper cooperation is forged in matters of development and connectivity with Afghanistan. He further said that Pakistan is also encouraged by the response of the senior Taliban delegation that visited Pakistan recently when they were urged to work for resumption of talks with the US and undertake intra-Afghan negotiations.
"In essence, Pakistan remains committed to supporting all efforts aimed at having an Afghanistan at peace with itself, and at peace with its neighbours," he said, adding that Pakistan will continue to support the reconciliation process, extend development assistance, and help create conditions in which more than 3 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan can go back to their homeland with dignity and honor.
The Foreign minister said that China remains Pakistan's closest friend and a steadfast partner, adding that Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is an anchor for peace and stability in the region. He said that the relationship has expanded and diversified a great deal in past few years.
"We will continue to reinforce our ties to protect and promote our strategic, economic, trade, people-to-people and investment interests," he said, adding that the evolving geopolitical situation requires frequent leadership level interactions. He said that the outcome document of the Prime Minister's recent visit to China demonstrated the convergence of views between the two strategic partners across the whole range of regional and international issues.
Qureshi pointed out that the CPEC is the cornerstone of Pakistan's development agenda and expeditious completion of CPEC projects is a high priority of Pakistani government. "We are determined to execute CPEC projects and, in our recent visit to China, have proposed more projects for Chinese investment that can rejuvenate and consolidate our economy," he added.
With the United States, he said, Pakistan is committed to have a broad-based, long-term and enduring partnership. He pointed out that Prime Minister Khan has twice met President Trump and taken bilateral engagement to a level and quality not witnessed in recent years.
"The broad agenda including security, trade, investments, energy, education and people-to-people exchanges illustrates the vast benefits we can accrue by working together," he said. "Our endeavor is to cast this relationship on the principles of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual benefit. We have worked assiduously to minimize the divergences and we continue to accentuate the convergences. We hope that the US and Pakistan work constructively in advancing the shared goals of peace, stability and prosperity in our region," he added.
For Pakistan, he said that the Middle East is an important strategic, economic, security and cultural partner, besides being Pakistan's primary civilizational fountain-head. "War in the region could have devastating consequences for the entire world, as also for Pakistan's economy. We are, therefore, doing everything within our means to help lower tensions and ensure preservation of regional peace and security," he said.
As part of these facilitation efforts, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Iran and Saudi Arabia to defuse tensions and promote peace and stability in the region. "We are encouraged by the initial consultations as there is already discernible de-escalation. We hope there will be willingness to employ political and diplomatic means to resolve differences and disputes. We would all be winners if these efforts are fruitful and we have a region focused on cooperation, rather than confrontation," he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019