UNITED NATIONS: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Tuesday said the Kashmiri people must be allowed to choose their destiny in accordance with the long-held commitment to the international community through United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
The Prime Minister, during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 71st United Nations General Assembly session here, also raised the plight of the innocent Kashmiri people at the hands of barbaric Indian occupation forces.
“Japan is a major country, I request you to exercise your valuable influence and urge India for ending human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir,” Prime Minister Sharif said.
The Japanese Prime Minister also expressed his deep concern over the present situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Prime Minister Sharif termed Japan as a close friend and a development partner.
He said Pakistan has huge potential for investment in diverse fields and Japan could bring the capacity to produce value added goods and also benefit while investing in diverse fields in Pakistan.
Japan was one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners with an annual bilateral trade of US$ 1.86 billion and this trade needed to be enhanced further, the Prime Minister added.
Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan’s successes in Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the military campaign against terrorists as well as the implementation of the National Action Plan to eliminate terrorism and violent extremism had restored peace in the country, adding the economy was boosting and the country was achieving self-sufficiency in energy.
He said all these achievements had reinforced the confidence of the foreign investors and made Pakistan an ideal destination for investment.
Japanese Premier extended his support to Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, economic reforms and Prime Minister Sharif’s endeavours for reaching out to neighbouring countries for the sake of regional peace, stability and prosperity of the people.
Shinzo Abe strongly condemned recent terrorist incidents in Quetta and other cities and extended his condolences on the loss of precious lives during the terrorist attacks.
The two sides expressed concern over the recent developments in the Korean Peninsula.
Pakistan strongly condemned the recent nuclear tests conducted by North Korea and urged it to abide by its international treaty obligations, Prime Minister Sharif said.
Regional situation, particularly in India and Afghanistan also came under discussion.
About Afghanistan, the Prime Minister apprised the Japanese Premier of Pakistan’s efforts for peace and reconciliation and reiterated its desire for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan.
The Japanese Prime Minister said the current bilateral ties between the two countries needed to be deepened.
The meeting was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere and both the sides agreed to enhance the frequency of high-level interaction in order to lend momentum to bilateral ties.
The two leaders had last met on the margins of the 68th UN General Assembly session in September 2013.
