The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi spoke today at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi spoke today at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on “Pakistan’s vision for regional peace, prosperity, and economic development”. The event was attended by a cross-section of Washington based policy community, scholars, researchers, members of the think-tanks and media representatives.
In his remarks, the Special Assistant highlighted the Government’s focus on pursuing the goal of economic prosperity for the people of Pakistan. He underscored Pakistan’s commitment to building a peaceful neighborhood for regional peace, security and prosperity.
The Special Assistant highlighted the Government’s commitment to combating terrorism and extremism in all its forms through a comprehensive and consensus based approach. He further said that the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan will continue till the area is cleared of all terrorists without any distinction or discrimination.
On Pakistan-US relations, the Special Assistant noted that the Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Washington last year in October was a high point and the meeting with President Obama helped set the tone, agenda and direction for the relationship, which happily now is on an upward and stable trajectory.
While emphasizing the importance of enhanced market access, and greater investment flows, the Special Assistant also thanked the US government for its valuable assistance to Pakistan for its various development projects especially those in the energy sector.
During the interactive session, the Special Assistant responded to various questions related to Pakistan’s internal developments and external relations. He said that Pakistan is ready to discuss all outstanding issues with India. He expressed the hope that the two sides could pick up the threads from where the process was left with the last Congress government.
July 21, 2014
Washington D.C