COAS calls on PM
-Says nation united against cowardly acts of enemy
-Aims to announce development package for South Balochistan
-Felicitates Turkish govt, people on ‘Republic Day’
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that restoration of peace in Afghanistan would prove beneficial for the entire region.
Talking to Afghanistan’s Minister for Industry and Commerce Nisar Ahmed Faizi Ghoryani, who called on him in Islamabad, PM Imran said peace in the country will enhance regional connectivity and provide new opportunities for economic cooperation.
He maintained that Pakistan and Afghanistan have untapped economic synergies and complementarities, which could only be realized through cooperation in the economic and trade spheres.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s consistent support to peace and stability in Afghanistan and emphasized the need for a negotiated political settlement.
On the occasion, the Afghan minister appreciated the positive role played by Pakistan in facilitating the Afghan peace process and desired for enhanced economic and trade ties between the two countries.
Earlier on October 28, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had held a telephonic conversation with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif and discussed the Afghan peace process and regional security with him. FM Qureshi had said Pakistan desires a peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan and underscored that peace in Afghanistan is linked with peace and stability of the region.
Meanwhile in meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Prime Minister Imran Khan said nation united against cowardly acts of enemy.
Professional matters pertaining to Pakistan Army as well as internal and external security situation were discussed during the meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. Referring to recent attempts to stoke violence in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed the resolve that the entire nation is united against the cowardly acts of the enemy. He paid tributes to the personnel of Pakistan Army, FC and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) who sacrificed their lives for the defence of the motherland.
The meeting comes two days after a powerful bomb blast ripped through a Peshawar madrassah, killing at least seven people and injuring more than 100 injured – most of them children. On Wednesday evening, COAS Bajwa had said the country’s armed forces will not rest till the elimination of terrorists and vowed to take their facilitators to the task.
“We will not rest until we bring terrorists and their facilitators to their logical conclusion,” the ISPR quoted him as saying during his visit to Upper Dir Malakand Division.
Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that he would soon visit South Balochistan to announce a comprehensive development package for the area.
The prime minister said this while chairing a high-level meeting on uplift projects for Balochistan, which was attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, DG ISI, Commander Southern Command of the armed forces, federal ministers including Asad Umar, Omar Ayub, Fakhar Imam, Faisal Vawda and advisers to the prime minister and provincial ministers and secretaries of the province.
The meeting was briefed over the development package for underdeveloped areas of South Balochistan besides shedding light on other projects in the region.
The prime minister said that South Balochistan remained neglected in the past, forcing the masses to live a life in poverty.
“Development of Balochistan is among the top priorities of the incumbent government,” he said adding that Gwadar Port is of key importance as it would lead way towards progress for the country especially the province. He announced to visit South Balochistan soon to announce a comprehensive development package for the area. It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated his vision for the development of the Balochistan province.
The prime minister chaired the second meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) and reviewed uplift projects in the Balochistan province in July this year.
A committee comprising the planning minister, an adviser to PM on finance, and chief minister Balochistan was also formed during the meeting to prioritize works after reviewing telecommunication, agriculture, energy, and other projects.
The committee would finalize the priorities of the projects and convey it to the prime minister for the final nod. The NDC meeting also approved to form a mineral exploration company to improve mining facilities in the province.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also extended his warm felicitations to the people and government of Turkey on the auspicious occasion of their 97th ‘Republic Day’. Taking to the social networking website, Twitter, PM Imran said forefathers of Pakistan stood by the Turkish people in their glorious struggle against forces of imperialism. Reaffirming Pakistan’s solidarity with the brotherly people and the government of Turkey, the prime minister said, “In contemporary times, our two countries remain indispensable partners. Long live Pakistan-Turkey brotherhood!”
Earlier on July 15, Prime Minister Imran Khan had extended his congratulations to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the country’s ‘Democracy and National Unity Day’. In his message to President Erdogan, PM Imran had reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brotherly people and the government of Turkey. He had said, “On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, I would like to reaffirm our solidarity with the brotherly people and government of Turkey on the occasion of Democracy and National Unity Day.
