Pakistan deeply committed to Muslim world's unity; promotion of interfaith harmony, dialogue: PM

RIYADH: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sunday said that Pakistan had a deep commitment to the unity of the Muslim world, and to the promotion of interfaith harmony and dialogue.

During his interaction with Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, US President Donald J. Trump and other leaders from the Arab and Islamic countries who gathered here for the first Arab-Islamic-American Summit, the prime minister said that being the frontline state, Pakistan had rendered remarkable sacrifices in the global fight against terrorism, said a Foreign Office statement.

Expressing his pleasure to be part of the Summit, the prime minister said the choice of Saudi Arabia as the venue for the first Arab-Islamic-American Summit was appropriate, given the reverence and respect that the entire Muslim world has for this land of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

The prime minister appreciated the leadership of President Trump to make this Summit as his first overseas engagement, and said that this initiative of President Trump was of great symbolic significance.

"The rising tide of terrorism and extremism is the most daunting challenge that the world confronts today. Unfortunately, Pakistan has been in the forefront of this existential struggle, bearing a disproportionately large burden," the Prime Minister highlighted.

He said tens of thousands of Pakistani citizens and thousands of the security personnel had been martyred, or injured in terrorist attacks; while billions have been lost in terms of economic cost.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif apprised that like many other countries, Pakistan had made tough choices and taken difficult decisions to deal with the new and emerging challenges.

"We have confronted terrorism with courage and conviction; and the massive human and financial costs have further strengthened our resolve," the Prime Minister further stated.

Prime Minister Sharif said the turnaround in Pakistan both on the  security and economic fronts, with the last year witnessing the lowest number of terrorist attacks in a decade, presented a good example of how political commitment, based on an across-the-board national consensus, supported by determined and well organized kinetic operations of armed forces, could bring about the desired results in countries afflicted with the scourge of extremism and terrorism.

Besides, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz and President Trump, the prime minister exchanged views with a number of other leaders including the Emir of Qatar, King of Bahrain, President of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of Malaysia and President of Tajikistan.