Inflation caused by Ukraine war creating problems for Pakistan: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister and Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday said that inflation caused by Russia-Ukraine war was creating problems for Pakistan.

In an informal talk with the media in the Parliament House, he said made it clear that it would be a misunderstanding to link the visit of former prime minister Imran Khan to Russia with the no-confidence motion, which sent his government packing. He said the biggest testimony to this fact was that no change in Pakistan’s neutral position regarding the Russia-Ukraine war had taken place despite change of the government.

“Had that been the reason behind toppling of the government, that policy would have been changed. However, Pakistan’s stance regarding the Russian and Ukrainian conflict is that we were neutral yesterday, and are neutral today,” he added.

About his visit to Iran, starting on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Bilawal said Iran was our neighbour and in Islam, they have rights. “We believe that the relationship between the Pakistani and Iranian people, including those cultural and spiritual are historic,” he said.

He said the economic coordination between the both countries has much potential to be explored.As far as the Pak-Iran gas pipeline is concerned, FM Bilawal said its foundation was laid by former president Asif Ali Zardari. “Now, we are engaging with all countries, and the food security issue is especially concerning me. Before the war, there was a wheat and urea crisis already,” he said.

He said we would buy wheat and fertilizer from Ukraine and “there is a war going on there and we are faced with increased food insecurity.“We are trying for the war to end through diplomacy and dialogue,” he said.

The FM said the war was not only harming Ukraine and its people but the whole region, including the people of Pakistan through inflation, food and energy insecurity. “We want for the war to end so that issues such as Covid-19, climate change, which are impacting our agriculture, can be combated together,” he said.

In reply to a question regarding the construction of the housing societies, Bilawal said he was personally against construction that was happening on agricultural lands, as Pakistan has the potential to not only feed its own people but the world if we manage our agricultural system.