Shura-e-Hamdard discusses ‘Changing political trends and foreign policy’

KARACHI: The monthly meeting of Shura-e-Hamdard Karachi was held yesterday on the topic of “Changing political trends and Pakistan’s foreign policy” at the Hamdard Corporate Head Office, presided over by Prof. Dr. Tanveer Khalid, who attended the meeting via an online platform. Mrs. Sadia Rashid, President of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan also attended the session.

Prof. Dr. Tanveer Khalid while initiating the proceedings of the meeting said that political instability had a negative impact on every sector of the country. “Pakistan’s foreign policy goals should be aligned with national interests. Within the foundations of economic prosperity, security and safety, and beliefs and values, there is a need to formulate short-term and long-term foreign policy strategies in line with the changes taking place on the global scene and the shift in the balance of power. Pakistan’s policy in the past had clearly followed the Western bloc,” she said.

Guest Speaker Prof. Dr. Syed Jaffar Ahmed said that the main objective of diplomacy was about finding and creating opportunities. “It is unfortunate that throughout the 70 years of Pakistan’s existence, no concrete steps have been taken to correlate the country’s interests with international powers and institutions in terms of increasing trade, economic development, and resolution of Kashmir. Weaknesses in Pakistan’s internal system have severely affected the continuity of foreign policy. Foreign policy needs to focus on the fundamentals. Pakistan has to emerge as a strong federation. The better the internal system, the better the relationship between the people and the state,” he said.

Prof. Dr. Khalida Ghous said that there was no consistency in policies. “As long as there is no continuity at the policy level in the country, our problems will not diminish. We must acknowledge that Pakistan has never made serious efforts to forge closer ties with the United States and other Western countries. No concrete steps have been taken to increase trade and to gain access to the markets of all major countries, including the United States. Our foreign policy is, in fact, a reactionary policy, where we react to the events that occur around us.”

Commodore Sadid Anwar Malik (retd) said that “Democracy needs time to produce results. Improving relations with neighboring countries is essential. We need to establish deep ties with Afghanistan and Iran, including China. The Pak-China Economic Corridor must be completed as soon as possible so that other countries can be invited to join. Kashmir is not just a region but the jugular vein of Pakistan. In order to achieve our long-term objectives, we have to prepare our nation.”

Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan said that countries could leap into a developed world only by providing facilities and trust to the business community. “In today’s world, relations between countries depend on mutual trade. Pakistan’s dependence on the US for its defense and diplomatic needs is alarming. Steps must be taken to rectify Pakistan’s economic affairs. Balochistan is rich in natural resources.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022