Pakistan remains in forefront of campaign against terrorism: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Wednesday Pakistan remained in the forefront of international campaign against terrorism and was engaged in promoting peace and security in South Asia by taking several initiatives to that end.
He was addressing the Communist Party School here on the subject of "Pakistan-China partnership for harmonious relations in the 21st century". The Prime Minister said the fight against terrorism and extremism was in line with Pakistan's national interest and for promotion of the vision of Pakistan as a moderate, modern and progressive society. "We believe it is essential to pursue a comprehensive approach for combating terrorism - combining military, political and socio-economic tracks," he said.
The Prime Minister said it is equally essential to address the underlying causes that lead to acts of desperation and terrorism adding that terrorism has no religion, no race, and no nationality. He said it is wrong to associate it to a religion, culture or people.
The common teaching of all religions is peace and attempts to misrepresent any faith must be resisted, he added. Referring to time-tested and all weather Pak-China friendship, the Prime Minister said both the countries are bound in a profound relationship that is unique for its depth, scope, stability and dynamism.
He said the Pakistan-China partnership which now spans over five decades has withstood the test of time and remained unshakeable in the face of international vicissitudes.
Pak-China friendship, he said, is characterised by harmony, vibrancy and vitality. He said, "Ours is a friendship rooted in the popular ethos and based on complete trust and mutual understanding which has, over the years, matured into a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and development."
The Prime Minister said Pak-China friendship is today a factor of peace and stability in Asia and beyond. Relations between peoples of Pakistan and China go back to antiquity when the fabled Silk Route served as a conduit not only for commerce but also for ideas and knowledge, he added.
He said four generations of Pakistani and Chinese leaders and people have been friends with each other and the great leaders - Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin - and now President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao and Pakistani leadership - have enjoyed and continue to enjoy close personal relations.
He said these relations show the resilience and deep-rooted nature of bilateral ties. The Prime Minister said despite having different political systems, different cultures, and different traditions, the two countries have created a beautiful
Mosaic - vibrant with colour and warmth. He said the people of Pakistan draw strength from and rejoice over the great accomplishments of the Chinese nation. Prime Minister Aziz said China once again enjoys a position of pre-eminence in the comity of nations.
"We believe that the Chinese civilisational resurgence will have a profoundly constructive impact on the world and in particular, on Asia," he added. He said China's moral voice, its economic dynamism, its entrepreneurial spirit, its innovative genius and its commitment to shaping a peaceful and prosperous world remain indispensable for ushering in a harmonious world order.
The Prime Minister said China is a model for developing countries; a model of good neighbourly relations, a model of economic and social development, and a model for realising the vision for a better world, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
He said as China grows in strength, it is taking more concrete steps to help and assist the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Shaukat said Pakistan's friendship with China is the cornerstone of its foreign policy.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries in 1951, Pakistan-China relations have been growing from strength to strength, he added.
He said this unique friendship has been an indispensable factor for peace and stability in Asia and has contributed to greater amity and international understanding.
He said, "Today, the leadership and people of our two countries are determined to take Pakistan-China relations to an even higher level." The Prime Minister said the profile of the strategic economic engagement now encompasses several grand projects and would further leverage natural economic complementarities, conferred by geography, history, shared values as well as a distinct sense of common destiny.
"We desire to further our economic relations and make them commensurate with our political relations," he added. He said the two countries have pledged to triple bilateral trade in the next five years. The Chinese companies are investing in Pakistan in projects ranging from mining and energy exploration to infrastructure development and manufacturing, he added. Referring to Pak-India relations, the Prime
Minister said Pakistan has been engaged in the process of building confidence and trust continues. "We are engaged in dialogue with India to address all issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute," he said. The Prime Minister said a just solution of this longstanding problem would usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in South Asia.
He said Pakistan also hopes to realise co-operation in the field of energy, poverty alleviation and a free trade regime under the SAARC auspices. "We welcome China's close association with the Saarc," he added. The Prime Minister unequivocally reiterated.
Pakistan's adherence to the "one-China" policy and its recognition of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of Chin and Taiwan as an inalienable and indivisible part of Chinese territory. He said Pakistan government fully supports China's great cause of national unification and all efforts of the Chinese government in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan believes in the promise of Charter of the United Nations adding that multilateral co-operation is the only realistic way to deal with contemporary global issues.
The Prime Minister said, "We must endeavour to create a prosperous and harmonious Asia, at peace with itself and the world and we must work towards a framework for Asia-wide co-operation." He said it calls for real democratisation of the international system adding that Security Council reform and expansion must not become an issue of "privilege and power."
These issues should be decided by consensus on the basis of "equity and real democratisation," he added. He said, "We must firmly reject and defeat the notion of clash of civilisations and affirm the indivisibility of the human race, cherish unity in diversity."
Highlighting Pakistan's economic achievements, the Prime Minister said Pakistan is fast transforming into an economic, energy, trade and communications hub linking the neighbouring regions of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia. "We are actively promoting multi-sectoral and intra-regional co-operation between Pakistan and China," he added.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan provides the shortest access to the sea for Western China. He said the friendship highway over the Karakoram and road and rail networks to deep-water ports at the Arabian Sea are fast becoming a conduit for trade and energy transactions.
He said they connect Western China as well as Central Asia to the Gulf and the Middle East adding that a major component in this strategy was the development of Gwadar Port. The Prime Minister especially thanked China for assisting in Gwadar Port project.
He said Pakistan is also planing to develop oil and gas pipelines and electricity grids, which could satisfy the growing energy needs and become energy corridors for China and other regional countries. Referring to launch of Joint Investment Company, the Prime Minister said it is another important milestone in economic relations as the Company shall play the role of a catalyst in further promoting project co-operation.
Appreciating Chinese contribution to the economic development of Pakistan, he said there are some 100 Chinese corporations based in Pakistan and more than 3,000 engineers, technicians and Chinese entrepreneurs are working on a range of projects from minerals and manufacturing to Information Technology and telecommunication.
He said over the years, China and Pakistan have together built the edifice of a relationship on the rock solid foundation of mutual trust and common benefit.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan and China have also worked closely at international forums to promote peace and development. Referring to Afghanistan issue, the Prime Minister said Pakistan desires to see a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is in the vital interest of the region.
The international community must help the Afghan people with national reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan, he added. He said Pakistan is reaching out to East Asia and Central Asia through ASEAN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation adding that Pakistan has excellent relations with all members of these organisations. "We wish to play a constructive role in promoting security in the Indian Ocean region," he added.
He said Pakistan enjoys close and friendly ties with Islamic States and building closer bonds of friendship with all countries of the world. Appreciating the role of Communist Party School in Chinese politics, the Prime Minister said it has been the nursery for all those dedicated men and women who have transformed China.