Economy is on upswing as Pakistan effectively combats terrorism: embassy spokesman

Pakistan is effectively fighting terrorism, and its economy making good progress, a spokesman of the Pakistani Embassy said, while terming as “off the mark” a reference in a recent New York Times’ editorial to the country’s so-called internal turmoil.

In a letter to the newspaper, Nadeem Hotiana, press attache at the Pakistani Embassy, also took issue with the editorial’s call on major powers to turn their attention to constraining Pakistan’s nuclear and strategic capabilities, saying India, not Pakistan, introduced nuclear weapons in South Asia.

Pakistan, he said, was forced to develop a nuclear capability for self-defence due to its troubled history with India and that country’s accumulation of conventional and strategic capabilities. “Nevertheless, Pakistan has consistently declared that its nuclear weapons are for deterrence, not war. Pakistan has no desire to engage in a conventional or nuclear arms race in South Asia.”

Hotiana, the press attache, added, “On the economy, only a glance at the International Monetary Fund’s latest review shows that the country is in far better shape than you assert. Time and again Pakistanis have proved their resilience and determination in difficult periods.

“Recycling theories about impending economic disaster or terrorists posing a serious threat to the state structure serves no purpose.”

April 29, 2015
Washington D.C