News
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Mushahid for cooperation with China on war against terrorism* Says misunderstandings should be cleared between both nations as western, Indian media were pointing fingers at Pakistan for acts of terrorism in Kashghar
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pak-China Institute Chairman Mushahid Hussain Syed on Friday demanded the government to send a high-level security delegation to China to discuss bilateral cooperation against terrorism and extremism and plug in the gaps and address misunderstandings, if any, between both the nations, as the western and Indian media was publishing negative stories, pointing fingers at Pakistan for acts of terrorism in Kashghar.
“It is the primary responsibility of the government and the armed forces to ensure that no part of the Pakistani territory should be allowed for use by any negative forces against our neighbours. Sino-Pak ties are solid and strong and no negative propaganda can undermine this robust relationship,” said the chairman while addressing a seminar titled ‘Regional Development and Sino-Pak Relations’ at the Sir Syed Memorial Society.
He said that Pakistan has condemned terrorism and separatism in China, as stability in China is vital for stability in Pakistan.
“Pakistan and China are cooperating closely which has raised concerns in regional countries and powers. China has announced special economic zones (SEZ) in Kashghar, which would now be a hub of energy, economic, trade and commerce cooperation between China and Pakistan and China and Central Asia,” the chairman said.
“Kashghar is now the key to future economic and regional cooperation and there is a new ‘conspiracy’ developing in our region with some elements in the west trying to contain China’s peaceful rise. Thus the negative propaganda about some elements of Pakistan in the Kashghar incidents is a conspiracy to hurt the excellent Sino-Pak relations and cooperation,” he said.
The chairman said after the US leaves Afghanistan, China and Pakistan would emerge as major players in the region thus bilateral cooperation is vital.
Answering a question, Mushahid said that the Pakistani forces have been active in tracking down Chinese separatists and East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) leader Hassan Masoom was killed by the Pakistan Army in 2003 while his successor, Abdul Haq Al-Turkistani, was killed in a drone attack according to information provided by Pakistan on May 7, 2010.
He said like other countries, there might be some ungoverned spaces inside Pakistan, just like the area bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the separatists may be present but Pakistan has to ensure that no part of its territory is used for insurgency in China or any other neighbouring country.
Former state minister for foreign affairs Inamul Haq said that all religio-political parties of Pakistan were on the same page about the relationship between Pakistan and China and none of the leaders had ever said something or promoted anything negative which could hurt this friendship. He said Chinese investments and projects in Pakistan were worth $25 billion, which were multiplying with each day passing.
Haq said apart from media claims, he doubted that the US forces would leave Afghanistan, just like they had not departed from Iraq despite the expiry of the deadline of year 2011.
“I believe that the US would not leave Afghanistan which is a centre from where they can watch China, Pakistan, Iran and other important regional players. Afghanistan is home to gold and copper reserves worth billions of dollars while the same is the case with Pakistan which has untapped reserves of gold, copper, oil and gas worth billions of dollars,” the minister said.
Former foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar said that the situation in and around Pakistan was dangerous and complex and the country painted a picture of instability.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk