ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Thursday said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) had no hidden implications against any other country and the projectwas purely based on bilateral economic agenda.
“The CPEC is a bilateral project, which is not against any country,”Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Faisal said here at the weekly pressbriefing in response to a question if CPEC had military strings attached.
Dismissing reports of international media casting doubts on CPEC for havingmilitary implications, he said China under the economic project, washelping Pakistan in improving its economy, energy situation andinfrastructure development.
Rejecting reports about Indian diplomats in Pakistan facing harassment, hesaid Pakistan strictly adhered to the Vienna Convention as perinternational law.
“Pakistan stands for upholding the Vienna Convention on diplomaticrelations and has always endeavored to facilitate the working of the IndianHigh Commission in Islamabad, within the diplomatic norms, internationallaw and practices,” he said.
The spokesman said it remained Pakistan’s firm position that “smooth andunhindered functioning of diplomatic missions was essential”.
On Afghanistan, he said Pakistan’s longstanding position to give peace andreconciliation a real chance in the war-torn country had become the basisfor an international consensus.
He said the main reason behind the recent visit of Foreign Minister ShahMehmood Qureshi to four nations – Afghanistan, Iran, China and Russia – waspart of the government’s policy to strengthen relations with all neighboursand regional countries.
As part of the same effort, the foreign minister will visit Qatar soon, headded.The spokesman said recent developments in Afghanistan including the MoscowFormat Consultations, Geneva Conference on Afghanistan, the Abu Dhabimeeting had all led to this widely acknowledged agreement.
“The new opening in Afghanistan and willingness of all countries who agreeon Pakistan’s important role as facilitator has also provided a significantopportunity to strengthen bilateral relations with all neighboursespecially for the promotion of trade, economic and people to peoplelinkages,” he said.
He said the visit also provided an opportunity to listen to the views ofthe leadership of neighbouring countries to promoting a joint regionalapproach in Afghanistan and explore realistic possibilities of regionalintegration in economic terms.
“The purpose was twofold – first, strengthening regional consensus for anAfghan-led and Afghan-owned solution and second, to explore the possibilityof win-win framework, regional connectivity and economic development tohelp achieve the ultimate objective of economic growth and prosperity inthe region,” he said.
To a question, he ruled out the involvement and role of India inAfghanistan reconciliation process.Muhammad Faisal said presently, 341 Pakistani prisoners were in Indianjails, including 154 civil prisoners and 187 fishermen. Of them, twelvecivil and 33 fishermen had completed their sentences, he added.
He said the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was in touch with Indianauthorities for repatriation of prisoners, adding that a law firm had alsobeen hired to assist and facilitate the repatriation.
The spokesman said Indian-state terrorism continued unabated in Jammu andKashmir as a total of more than 500 Kashmiri men, women and children weremartyred during 2018.
He called upon the international community to take notice of the brutalatrocities being committed in the occupied valley.
On foreign policy front during 2018, he said substantial progress was madeafter the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan took to office thisAugust including enhanced interaction with international and regionalleadership in the interest of the country.