Jan 10 , 2016
News
Pakistan first
* Sartaj Aziz says Islamabad will put its national and territorial interests first before deciding to play any role on Saudi-Iran dispute * India has neither confirmed nor cancelled Jan 15 talks so far
By Arsalan Haider
LAHORE: Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Saturday said that Pakistan will keep its national and territorial interests first before deciding to play a role in the resolution of Saudi-Iran row.
“The issue, as of now, is being taken to be sectarian in nature and we will protect our interests first by making sure the row does not evolve into a sectarian conflict in our own country,” Aziz said while talking to reporters at the National College of Arts (NCA) here alongside Information Minister Pervez Rashid. But, the fact is that history of political tussle between Iran and Saudi Arabia is decades old, he said, and added that any intervention at this time may be counter-productive for Pakistan. He said the diplomacy needs a fine balance and Pakistan will play role of mediator but at the right time. “Pakistan is waiting for the right time to play the role of a mediator,” he said.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are in a tense standoff following a prominent Shia cleric’s execution by the former on January 2.
While cautioning that terrorists can take advantage of the standoff between the two countries, Aziz said, “Muslim world must also play its due role in diffusing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.”
On Thursday, Pakistan said Islamabad will extend full support to the Saudi-led Islamic coalition if its sole purpose is to fight terrorism and is not against any specific country. The statement came following a meeting of Pakistani civil and military leadership with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister.
Commenting on the fate of the scheduled talks between Pakistan and India following the terror attack on Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Aziz said Pakistan is investigating the incident while a planned meeting for the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India was still in place. He said India has neither confirmed nor cancelled the talks so far. “Foreign secretaries of two countries will meet on January 15, as of now,” he said.
On Thursday, India had warned of calling off the upcoming foreign secretary-level talks in the wake of the Pathankot airbase attack. Without giving any deadline, Vikas Swarup, the Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, said talks would be held only if Pakistan made good on its promise to ‘promptly and decisively’ act on the evidence provided to Islamabad on the Pathankot attacker.
Aziz said it was too early to comment on the ‘evidence’ India has shared with Pakistan on the Pathankot airbase attack.
Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak’s concern over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) hold no ground. “The actual issue is that fibre optic cable is not passing through the native village of CM and he thinks that by changing optic’s route, internet will not available in his hometown,” he said, in a lighter vein. “Ahsan Iqbal met Khattak but was unable to clarify the government’s stance to him. However, I will successfully explain him when have a meeting with him,” he added.
To a question on the possibility of governor’s rule in Sindh, he said that there was a perfect harmony between federal government and the provincial government and that there was no chance of governor’s rule in Sindh. He said the federal government believes in provincial autonomy. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif heard the reservations of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at a meeting and directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to address them,” he said. Four different political parties are ruling in four provinces and the federal government has never created any hurdle in smooth functioning of any of the provincial government, he added.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk