report in The Express Tribune, Nov 19, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stressed the need on Friday for a review of the country’s anti-terrorism approach to eliminate the factors that gave rise to militancy, as he repeated the country’s call on Afghanistan to take measures not to let its soil be used for attacks on its neighbour.
Bilawal held a press conference in Islamabad; the foreign minister emphasised that Pakistan would not take a solo flight to recognise the interim government of Afghanistan.
However, he underscored the importance of engaging with the Afghan Taliban to avert a humanitarian crisis there…..
Pak-US ties de-hyphenated
The minister underscored the importance of maintaining a balanced relationship and a positive outreach with all countries, including the United States and China. He added that Pakistan’s relations with the United States had been “de-hyphenated”.
He added that problems emerged whenever there appeared a lack of coordination between the two countries. However, “now we have very positive and productive engagements with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a positive direction with regard to Pakistan-US relations has become visible.
Similarly, Bilawal told reporters, soon after assuming office of the foreign minister, he made his first visit to China and engaged with the Chinese leadership to further strengthen economic and political ties between the two neighbours.
He added that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, return of Pakistani students to the Chinese universities and educational institutions besides the bilateral cooperation in the fight against the menace of terrorism were the focus of his engagements with Beijing……
On the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline, the foreign minister called for resolution of issues and hurdles through the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) so as to get maximum benefit from the development project. He called for dialogue and diplomacy to address the common challenges of the world.
Terming the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif a ‘traumatic incident’, he said that serious efforts were being made with regard to proper conclusion of the case. He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party always prioritised the issues pertaining to the Pakistani citizens rising above politics.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2387092/bilawal-seeks-review-of-national-anti-terror-approach
