JEDDAH, 15 December 2006 — Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz emphasized his country’s desire to have peaceful relationships with its neighbors, India and Afghanistan, and clarified the country’s position on the Iranian nuclear program in an interview with Arab News yesterday at Jeddah’s Conference Palace.
Aziz, on an official visit, held talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Wednesday in Riyadh. He is accompanied by a large delegation, including ministers, high officials and businessmen.
Aziz also talked about the many investment opportunities in Pakistan and encouraged Saudis to take advantage of the open-door policy and incentives for investment as he met with Saudi businessmen yesterday at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).
“The purpose of this visit is multifaceted. We discussed every aspect of our relationship: political, diplomatic, defense, security, trade, investment, the presence of Pakistanis working here and about the Saudi development assistance,” said Aziz.
He said that Saudi investment is coming in more than ever before and the investment is diverse. “Last year we got more foreign investment in Pakistan than ever before in our history, this year will be even better,” he said. “It’s a reflection of the reforms undertaken by the government since President Pervez Musharraf came to power. We are regarded as one of the top 10 reforming countries in the world and that has created a better environment for investment.”
There will be an exhibition of Saudi products in Pakistan in March where around 75 Saudi companies will exhibit in order to increase trade both ways.
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council announced earlier this week plans to obtain and utilize nuclear energy technology while repeating its demand for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. With Pakistan being a nuclear power, Arab News asked if Aziz had any discussions with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah about exchanging nuclear information technology.
“We talked about the GCC summit in general but we did not discuss the issue of exchanging nuclear information and technology,” he said.
As for Iran’s nuclear program, he said that Pakistan has a clear position on the issue.
“Pakistan is against the proliferation of nuclear weapons by anybody. However, we believe every country has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under the IAEA safeguards and guidelines,” he said.
“We believe the current impasse on the Iranian nuclear issue is best settled through dialogue and discussion and that’s what we’re encouraging. We’re against the use of force in any form because it will create more problems than solve them. Pakistan strictly believes that the IAEA monitoring is the best way to pursue a peaceful nuclear program,” he added.
Pakistan’s nuclear program, he says, is a balance against India’s.
“We have nuclear weapons and it’s known to the world and it’s part of our deterrence capability,” he said. “Pakistan is a peaceful country. It does not want to join an arms race with anybody. However, we believe peace is achieved through strength and not weakness. We have also suggested a strategic restraint regime to India but no progress has been made on it, but our desire is to have a regime that is a minimal credible deterrence in the context of South Asia that includes nuclear and conventional capability for our defense.”
Relationships with India continue to develop on different fronts. India has recently accused Pakistan of being behind some attacks inside India. “We are against terrorism, we think it’s no solution to any problem. At the same time we believe the world needs to look at the root causes of terrorism. We believe it stems from feelings of deprivation: economic deprivation, political, lack of justice, lack of empowerment, lack of voice, and lack of dispute resolution. These accusations by India are unfounded. We have always said that the primary reasons for acts of violence in any country lie within that country.”
On the Kashmir issue, Musharraf has reiterated his proposal for autonomy rule and gradual withdrawal by Pakistan and India, he said.
“The president of Pakistan has offered and suggested many out-of-the-box approaches as a basis for discussion, but eventually whatever solution is reached has to be in line with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he said. “We should pursue these proposals and others through dialogue and discussion with the three stakeholders, Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people. It needs a serious form of dialogue. But Pakistan is committed to a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue.”
Afghanistan has also made accusations of Pakistan supporting Taleban and insurgencies there.
“We get disappointed when there are statements like this,” he said. “Pakistan wants a strong, peaceful and stable Afghanistan because we have 1,700 miles of border and it’s a porous border with families on both sides. If Afghanistan is unsettled it affects Pakistan negatively.” There are at least three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, whom Pakistan would like to see repatriated. Aziz said that Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan along the border and even in the cities provide a safe haven for elements that stay there and then go back and create problems. However, Pakistan is committed to helping Afghanistan.
“We are helping Afghanistan with development, with financial assistance because we have tremendously strong feelings of togetherness with their people,” he said. “Some elements who were in power there are creating trouble. We also believe there is a nexus between narcotic production and warlords and people who are trying to destabilize the situation. We have always said that the Afghan refugees should gradually go back, drug production must be stopped, and we asked for a Marshal Plan for Afghanistan to get more aid, more empowerment and more efforts to improve the life of the ordinary citizen so they move away from drug production and see a better future, Pakistan is very committed to that.”
Arab News asked about the recent passing of the Women’s Protection Bill and some of the demonstrations against the bill by the opposition. Aziz said that there were only few demonstrations by only one party.
“This is a historic piece of legislation. It gives voice to women,” he said. “We are looking at issues faced by women in Pakistan and coming up with the necessary legislation. We are not going to repeal the Hudood Ordinance. All laws under the constitution of Pakistan have to be in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, we cannot violate that. We are a Muslim country.”
He explained how the passing of this law was interesting and unique. In the assembly, no party voted against it. “The ruling party and the coalition members voted in favor, one opposition party voted in favor, the other opposition party abstained, and one religious party in the MMA walked out but its members did not cast their vote against it. So it’s quite unique.”
He cited the case of Mukhtaran Mai. It exemplifies the challenges Pakistan faces: the taboos, the traditions, and the culture. “We need this legislation and need more and we have more coming to give women a voice and their rights,” said Aziz.
