WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said here on Tuesday that Pakistan and the US will have to remove each other’s apprehensions to build a strong and stable partnership based on mutual respect and trust.
The premier said the drone attacks were a “major irritant” for Pakistan’s sovereignty that must be stopped.Speaking at the prestigious United States Institute of Peace (USIP) a day before his scheduled meeting with President Barack Obama, Nawaz said the people of Pakistan are “deeply disturbed and agitated” over drone attacks. The prime minister noted that in his first speech to the Pakistan parliament after assuming the office in June, he made a “strong commitment” to ensure an end to drone strikes and more recently a national conference of major political parties had underscored the concern.
The PM continued to hammer the issue of drones despite visible reluctance of the Obama administration to make any positive reference or commitment at any level, ignoring even the snowballing international pressure marked by the UN report first and the Amnesty verdict given on Tuesday.
“This issue has become a major irritant in our bilateral relationship,” he said, and added in apparent reference to today’s (Wednesday) talks with the US president that “I will therefore stress the need for an end to drone attacks” voicing “hopes and aspirations” of people of Pakistan as their elected leader, Nawaz Sharif recounted the challenges including extremism and terrorism and explained his government’s strategy to revive the economy and establish peace and order across in the country.
“My government has firmly resolved to bring the cycle of violence to an end. But it cannot be done overnight, nor can it be done by unleashing senseless force against our citizens, without first making every effort to bring the misguided and confused elements of society back to the mainstream,” he said.
“We also have to ensure that the political parties and civil society are on the same page — the political parties and the civil society are on the same page, so as to create the enabling environment necessary to tackle this menace,” he added.
The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s resolve to seek resolution of all issues with India through dialogue and hoped that the US would use its influence towards resolution of the core issue of Kashmir between the two South Asian nuclear armed states.
“We wish to put ourselves on the path for normalising trade relations with India. My meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month in New York reflected this desire. And I’m confident that we can overcome challenges and find solutions to all issues as long as we stay engaged,” he said.
“In any case, we do not want isolated incidents to interrupt our dialogue,” Nawaz said.The prime minister said, “It is about time that the two sides address their bilateral issues with utmost seriousness in order to avail themselves of the historic opportunity of devoting their energies and resources to development and betterment of their teeming millions.”
“I wish to assure this august audience that Pakistan desires to live in peace with its neighbour. We would not be found wanting in walking the extra mile. Our dream is to realise the potential of mutually beneficial economic cooperation at the bilateral level as well as the broader regional level under Saarc,” he said.
Pakistan appreciates the constructive role the US has historically played in defusing tensions between Pakistan and India, he said.“With its growing influence in India, the US now has the capacity to do more to help the two sides resolve their core disputes, including Kashmir, and in promoting a culture of cooperation,” he said.
Pakistan, he said, remains fully alive to protecting its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence and without engaging in an arms race, it would maintain a “credible minimum” deterrence capability.
Nawaz urged the US — which has made an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with India and avoided such arrangement with Pakistan — to adopt an “even-handed and non-discriminatory approach.
Referring to the situation in Afghanistan and the planned withdrawal of troops by US and its Nato allies from there in 2014, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace and reconciliation process in the war-torn country.
He said he had assured President Hamid Karzai that “we wish neither to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs nor do we have any favourites in Afghanistan.”“In fact, it is our earnest hope to see that the Afghans themselves unite for peace, prosperity and development of their country.”
Earlier, Congressman Jim Marshall, president of the USIPP, welcoming the Pakistan leader, commended the historic transition of power from one elected government to another in Pakistan after democratic elections and praised “remarkable showing” of Nawaz Sharif’s party at the polls.
A day before Nawaz Sharif made a frank and candid address to a gathering of Pakistan community in the leafy neighbourhood of Woodly Park urging Taliban to come to the negotiating table.
“We want to tackle the problem of terrorism and extremism, we developed a national consensus for dialogue and it is my wish that the other side (Taliban) respond positively,” he said. His community speech was mainly for domestic audience while USIP was more for the consumption of foreign audience.
“We are solely responsible for our misdeeds, we have no one but ourselves to blame for it, we must confess and correct our mistakes and only then we can move forward,” he said at Woodly Park but at the USIP he said Pakistan was a victim rather than an “epicentre of terrorism.”
He also indicated that he would like to bring changes in the laws that restricts government from initiating business friendly investment. “We have made such laws which can only delay projects for months and some time for years tenders can’t be opened.”
He also blamed courts for being lenient on criminals and law breakers. “It is not our job alone to tackle this menace, other institutions must also play their part,” he said.
APP adds: The White House has described the US-Pakistan relationship as “enormously valuable”, saying despite some differences, Washington wants the ties to proceed on positive trajectory.
“We want to find ways for our countries to cooperate, even as we have differences on some issues, and we want to make sure that the trajectory of this relationship is a positive one,” the press secretary remarked.
Continuing his emphasis on the importance of the relationship, Carney said, “It’s obviously a very important relationship. It’s one that’s obviously got a lot of complexity to it, but it’s enormously valuable when it comes to the US national security and to the safety and security of the American people.”
“The president looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Sharif to the White House today (Wednesday). The prime minister’s official visit comes as we are strengthening US-Pak relations,” Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney said.
The White House press secretary said ahead of the leaders’ summit, the Pakistani leader is meeting the senior Obama Administration officials at the State Department, the Department of Defence, Department of Energy, Department of Treasury, and the US Trade Representative.
“These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss concrete cooperation on issues of mutual concern such as energy, trade, and economic development, regional stability, and, of course, countering violent extremism,” Carney added.
“We want to advance our shared interest of a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan that is contributing to regional and international security and prosperity,” he said.hammer the issue of drones despite visible reluctance of the Obama administration to make any positive reference or commitment at any level, ignoring even the snowballing international pressure marked by the UN report first and the Amnesty verdict given on Tuesday.
“This issue has become a major irritant in our bilateral relationship,” he said, and added in apparent reference to today’s (Wednesday) talks with the US president that “I will therefore stress the need for an end to drone attacks” voicing “hopes and aspirations” of people of Pakistan as their elected leader, Nawaz Sharif recounted the challenges including extremism and terrorism and explained his government’s strategy to revive the economy and establish peace and order across in the country.
“My government has firmly resolved to bring the cycle of violence to an end. But it cannot be done overnight, nor can it be done by unleashing senseless force against our citizens, without first making every effort to bring the misguided and confused elements of society back to the mainstream,” he said.
“We also have to ensure that the political parties and civil society are on the same page — the political parties and the civil society are on the same page, so as to create the enabling environment necessary to tackle this menace,” he added.
The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s resolve to seek resolution of all issues with India through dialogue and hoped that the US would use its influence towards resolution of the core issue of Kashmir between the two South Asian nuclear armed states.
“We wish to put ourselves on the path for normalising trade relations with India. My meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month in New York reflected this desire. And I’m confident that we can overcome challenges and find solutions to all issues as long as we stay engaged,” he said.
“In any case, we do not want isolated incidents to interrupt our dialogue,” Nawaz said.The prime minister said, “It is about time that the two sides address their bilateral issues with utmost seriousness in order to avail themselves of the historic opportunity of devoting their energies and resources to development and betterment of their teeming millions.”
“I wish to assure this august audience that Pakistan desires to live in peace with its neighbour. We would not be found wanting in walking the extra mile. Our dream is to realise the potential of mutually beneficial economic cooperation at the bilateral level as well as the broader regional level under Saarc,” he said.
Pakistan appreciates the constructive role the US has historically played in defusing tensions between Pakistan and India, he said.“With its growing influence in India, the US now has the capacity to do more to help the two sides resolve their core disputes, including Kashmir, and in promoting a culture of cooperation,” he said.
Pakistan, he said, remains fully alive to protecting its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence and without engaging in an arms race, it would maintain a “credible minimum” deterrence capability.
Nawaz urged the US — which has made an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with India and avoided such arrangement with Pakistan — to adopt an “even-handed and non-discriminatory approach.
Referring to the situation in Afghanistan and the planned withdrawal of troops by US and its Nato allies from there in 2014, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace and reconciliation process in the war-torn country.
He said he had assured President Hamid Karzai that “we wish neither to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs nor do we have any favourites in Afghanistan.”“In fact, it is our earnest hope to see that the Afghans themselves unite for peace, prosperity and development of their country.”
Earlier, Congressman Jim Marshall, president of the USIPP, welcoming the Pakistan leader, commended the historic transition of power from one elected government to another in Pakistan after democratic elections and praised “remarkable showing” of Nawaz Sharif’s party at the polls.
A day before Nawaz Sharif made a frank and candid address to a gathering of Pakistan community in the leafy neighbourhood of Woodly Park urging Taliban to come to the negotiating table.
“We want to tackle the problem of terrorism and extremism, we developed a national consensus for dialogue and it is my wish that the other side (Taliban) respond positively,” he said. His community speech was mainly for domestic audience while USIP was more for the consumption of foreign audience.
“We are solely responsible for our misdeeds, we have no one but ourselves to blame for it, we must confess and correct our mistakes and only then we can move forward,” he said at Woodly Park but at the USIP he said Pakistan was a victim rather than an “epicentre of terrorism.”
He also indicated that he would like to bring changes in the laws that restricts government from initiating business friendly investment. “We have made such laws which can only delay projects for months and some time for years tenders can’t be opened.”He also blamed courts for being lenient on criminals and law breakers. “It is not our job alone to tackle this menace, other institutions must also play their part,” he said.
APP adds: The White House has described the US-Pakistan relationship as “enormously valuable”, saying despite some differences, Washington wants the ties to proceed on positive trajectory.
“We want to find ways for our countries to cooperate, even as we have differences on some issues, and we want to make sure that the trajectory of this relationship is a positive one,” the press secretary remarked.
Continuing his emphasis on the importance of the relationship, Carney said, “It’s obviously a very important relationship. It’s one that’s obviously got a lot of complexity to it, but it’s enormously valuable when it comes to the US national security and to the safety and security of the American people.”
“The president looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Sharif to the White House today (Wednesday). The prime minister’s official visit comes as we are strengthening US-Pak relations,” Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney said.
The White House press secretary said ahead of the leaders’ summit, the Pakistani leader is meeting the senior Obama Administration officials at the State Department, the Department of Defence, Department of Energy, Department of Treasury, and the US Trade Representative.
“These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss concrete cooperation on issues of mutual concern such as energy, trade, and economic development, regional stability, and, of course, countering violent extremism,” Carney added.“We want to advance our shared interest of a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan that is contributing to regional and international security and prosperity,” he said.
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