Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Mr. Mohsin Dawar underlined the need for vibrant regional policy in light of the rapidly evolving regional and global political order.
The Committee, welcoming Saudi-Iran rapprochement and China’s posture as peace broker, stressed that Pakistan should craft strategic clarity vis-à-vis relations with the regional countries.
The Chairman of the Committee MNA Mohsin Dawar underlined that Pakistan should not entangle in bloc politics and capitalize on the opportunities offered by emerging realities in the international politics
. The Committee expressed concerns over MOFA’s directives to Pakistani missions abroad to deny visas to Afghan citizens and repatriate of illegal Afghan citizens.
The Committee was informed that visa approval for Afghan citizens has been restored and the directive has been withdrawn.
Senator Mushahid Hussain, as a special invitee, shed light on China’s role in historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the light of global shifts and emerging realities in international politics including tensions between United States and China, and China’s role in the Middle East in the backdrop of United States pivot to East Asia.
He stated that the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia through diplomatic efforts of China and Russia was a major change in Middle Eastern politics since 1973 Arab-Israel war. It was highlighted that China had vital stakes in stability in the Middle East.
The experts highlighted how the evolving reconciliation in the Middle East was noted with muted concerns in several countries. Ambassador (R) Asif Durrani urged the need for cautious optimism and highlighted that rapprochement in Saudi-Iran relations would be a long haul.
He emphatically stressed that Pakistan should devise a vibrant regional policy.
Sohail Mehmood DG (ISSI) enlighten the Committee that the agreement reached between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran has significant benefits it puts their adversarial relationship on a cooperative track; promises to spur political stability and economic growth in the region; enables them to focus on their domestic transformation (KSA) and neighborhood (IRI); lead to binding of sectarian fault-line and improve regional stability; have a positive effect on situations in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.
The members of the Committee stated that the Saudi-Iran reconciliation may open new vistas of opportunities for regional trade, peace and security. It was highlighted that the new emerging realities offers Pakistan significant opportunities for expansion of trade and economic cooperation.
The members and experts regretted that in the past Pakistan pursued wrong policies and became part of the larger schemes of one bloc against the other.
The Committee unanimously recommended that Pakistan should not entangle in the bloc politics.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Muhammad Khan Daha, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatmi, Mr. Nawab Sher, Mr. Ahmad Hussain Deharr, Mr Muhammad Abu Bakar, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vank Wani and Ms. Mehnaz Akbar Aziz, MNAs.
