Ready to help ease US-China tensions: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Saturday said Pakistan was ready to help ease tensions between China and the United States. In a statement, Fawad recalled that Pakistan had played a role in the 1970s when tensions between the United States and China were at an all-time high. Fawad said in his interview given to the New York Times, the prime minister had said that both the United States and China were economic powers and their improved relations would improve the whole world.

The minister said the prime minister had given a new dimension to Pakistan’s relation with the US.

He noted that Imran Khan had clearly stated his views on the US, China and Afghan issues and also emphasised economic relations with the US instead of security ties.

“In the past, relations with the United States were viewed from a security perspective, and in the interview, the prime minister also expressed hope for better relations with India,” said Fawad.

“If our relations with India improve in future, Pakistan will have a geographically important position between India and China, two major markets, so the world, including the United States, will not be able to ignore Pakistan,” he said.

“The prime minister also clarified his position on Afghanistan that we will not allow the US or the warring Afghan factions to use our territory. His position is that if the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates, then we may consider sealing our border with Afghanistan completely. We have fenced off 90% of the Pak-Afghan border and are in a position to completely seal the border,” the minister said.

“We want to see a stable government in Afghanistan. We have persuaded the Afghan Taliban to negotiate with the United States and then with the Afghan government. Afghanistan problem must be resolved in a way that all warring factions are involved and a stable government is in place there,” the minister maintained.

Fawad said peace inside Afghanistan was very important to Pakistan.