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Haqqani denies Pakistan double-crossing US
Raja Zahid Akhtar KhanzadaDALLAS, Texas: Pakistan’s Ambassador to USA Husain Haqqani Tuesday said Washington must understand that Pakistan was not playing a double game with America.
He was speaking at the First South Asia Peace Conference at the University of North Texas at Denton.
He said that United States and Pakistan have differences on some issues but we understand each other very much. Believing that these major issues cannot be resolved today, Pakistan give up and America has to show some patience and understanding, he added.
Speaking on regional issues he said that if countries in other regions can resolve their issues through mutual deliberations, South Asian nations can also follow the suit.
Citing the examples of Germany, France and other European nations, he said the whole region has a single visa for visitors and we can also follow the same path.
He said the current democratic government in Pakistan is trying to resolve critical issues, which stand as hurdles in good relations between India and Pakistan in the light of Qauid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s advice to the first Pakistani ambassador to the U.S. and his words still provide a clear guideline to us.
Discussing the most vital issue of terrorism, he said, if we have even one percent of terrorists and sympathizers in a society of 180 million people, it is a substantially 1.8 million large portion of our population, which is also well armed and it is impossible to eliminate all of them.
Earlier, welcoming the Ambassador, the conference chair Dr. Qaisar Abbas said the Peace Conference is an effort to promote harmony through academic and diplomatic dialogues to avoid violence and conflicts.
Ambassador of Afghanistan Eklil Hakimi also talked to the conference on establishing peace in his country after the U.S. withdrawal.
Answering questions, ambassador Haqqani said in reality India and Pakistan cannot strike agreement on every issue and we should settle our differences through peaceful negotiations based on the give-and-take doctrine.
The conference provided a platform to diplomats and researchers to discuss aspects of peace in the region. Several known peace activists and researchers participated in the conference including the renowned social activist from India Sandeep Pandey and women’s rights activist from Pakistan Shahnaz Bukhari.
Other participants included Fowzia Afzal Khan,Kamran Asdar Ali, Arvind Singhal, Syed Minhajul Hasan, Shreerekha Pillai Subramanian, Indira Junghare, Vaidya Gundlupet, Mahmoud Sadri, Ramakrishna Puligandlaand Dr, Amanullah Khan.
The conference concluded with a Sarode performance by Shankar P. Bhattacharya and a Peace Dance conceived and directed by Prathiba Natesan.
Later the ambassador, while talking to Geo News, said that Pakistan had informed America that they did not approve drone attacks at all.
On the issue of reducing the American aid of $500 million dollars, he said our relations are not dependent on the American aid, which is being discussed now in congress.
Courtesy www.Geo.tv