ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that there are issues on which Pakistan has concerns and it expects other countries to take care of them.
In his address at the concluding session of the three-day Envoys’ Conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, the prime minister said that other countries might also have legitimate concerns and we will have to understand them.
The prime minister said that Pakistan desires peace but this should not be misconstrued as our weakness.
“Pakistan believes in the policy of non-interference and respect of sovereignty,” he said.
Sharif said that peaceful solution to outstanding disputes is imperative for durable peace and prosperity in the region.
The prime minister also emphasized the need for addressing challenges facing the country before they complicate further.
Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan is better placed today to attract foreign investment and in this regard our envoys should project the country’s positive image abroad to lure more investment.
Regarding relations with China, the prime minister said that these have strengthened with the passage of time. He said that $ 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will prove to be a game changer and guarantee regional peace and prosperity.
Earlier, the prime minister was given a briefing related to the Pakistani diplomatic missions. He said that he was pleased over the existing harmony on issues related to foreign affairs. He said that some significant issues need consideration and should be resolved.
In the three-day Conference, nine Pakistani envoys accredited to various Capitals and Multilateral Institutions including Jalil Abbas Jilani (Washington DC), Masood Khalid (Beijing), Abdul Basit (New Delhi), Maleeha Lodhi (UN New York), Ayesha Riyaz (Vienna), Naghmana Hashmi (Brussels/EU), Abrar Hussain (Afghanistan), Tehmina Janjua (UN/Geneva) and Qazi M. Khalilullah (Moscow) participated.