Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Sunday that Pakistan is a peaceful country and it does not have aggressive designs against any country. "Nevertheless, it is our conviction that peace comes with strength and not weakness," he said, adding therefore the government was committed to providing an impregnable defence for the country.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the Special Convocation of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi in which a degree of Doctors of Laws (Honoris Causa) was conferred on him.
The convocation was presided over by Patron of the Institute and Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad who conferred the degree on the Prime Minister. IBA Dean Danishmand read out the citation on the occasion.
Shaukat Aziz added in his speech that at the strategic level, Pakistan's nuclear and missile capabilities have ensured a credible deterrence which is the ultimate guarantee for our security and a factor for peace and stability in the region.
He said our foreign policy has been reoriented to focus on furthering of our economic and trade interests while pursuing the traditional goals of securing the sovereignty and security of the country as geo-politics was fast yielding to geo-economics.
"We believe Pakistan can play a vital role in the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity at the regional and global levels," the Premier stressed.
He said Pakistan is strategically placed on the continent and that we are located at the crossroads of South, West and Central Asia, and have the tremendous advantage to be the hub for trade, investment, transportation and energy growth around the area.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005

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