Regional dynamics should be shifted from confrontation to cooperation: Pak PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said thatenduring peace and prosperity in South Asia will remain elusive until the maindynamics in the region is shifted from “confrontation tocooperation”.

Addressing the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)Summit here, Khan said the South Asia continues to be challenged by commonenemies, including poverty, illiteracy, disease and under-development.

   

“Enduring peace and prosperity in South Asia willremain elusive until the main dynamic in South Asia is shifted fromconfrontation to cooperation,” Khan was quoted as saying by the state-runRadio Pakistan.

The “political differences and unresolved disputesfurther compound the predicament,” the prime minister said.

“It is important to seize the opportunities forpeaceful resolution of outstanding disputes and collective endeavours forregional prosperity,” he said.

Khan also said that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all itsforms and manifestations, including “state-terrorism against people underillegal occupation.”

India and Afghanistan accuse Pakistan of providing safehaven to the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba,Jaish-e-Mohammed and other militant groups, which carry out attacks in the twoneighbouring countries.

Khan, who has made public statements in recent monthsaffirming his resolve not to allow Pakistan’s soil to be used against any othercountry, said his country remains ready to share its experience and expertisein counter terrorism.

“We are among the few countries to have successfullyturned the tide against terrorism,” he said, adding that Pakistan willremain actively engaged in SCO’s counter-terrorism initiatives.

Referring to the Afghan peace talks, Khan said there isfinally a realisation that the conflict in Afghanistan has no militarysolution.

Pakistan is fully supporting efforts for peace andreconciliation, through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process, he added.

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