Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
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The High Commissioner of Pakistan Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani addressed Australian Strategic Policy Institute Canberra
The High Commissioner for Pakistan to Australia, Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani addressed a select gathering of intellectuals, senior government officials, business executives and Heads of think tanks at the Defence and Security Luncheon arranged by Australian Strategic Policy Institute on 28 April 2009.
The High Commissioner Jilani briefed the gathering about the positive trends in Pakistan including political stability, revival of judiciary, economic progress and our successful strategy against terrorists. He shared Pakistan’s perception on South Asian security situation with particular reference to Afghanistan and India and briefed the gathering about the prevailing situation along Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Indo-Pakistan relations security challenges faced by Pakistan and the strategy being followed by Pakistan to deal with such challenges.
While spelling out factors contributing to deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, the High Commissioner Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani said that several elements of the Policy Review announced by the new US Administration on 27 March 2009 were consistent with Pakistan’s views. However, there were some elements which required further consultations between the two countries. He particularly mentioned the conditionalities attached to economic assistance, the military surge in Afghanistan and its fall out on Pakistan and flawed AfPak terminology. He said that since the new US Administration had acknowledged Pakistan’s vital role in the success of the new strategy, it was imperative that all stakeholders felt comfortable with the Plan of Action.
The High Commissioner Jalil Jilani maintained that Pakistan’s 3D Strategy (Dialogue, Development, and Deterrence) to deal with situation in FATA and Swat was paying dividends. He said that clearly the main objective behind Swat Deal was to isolate extremists, establish the writ of the Government, reopen educational institutions and bring about peace in Swat. However, the Government had made it very clear that the Swat deal was directly linked to restoration of peace and security and disarming the militants.
Speaking on Pakistan-India relations, the High Commissioner Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani said that the Indian Government’s decision to suspend the Peace Process was unfortunate. Both Pakistan and India were victims of terror and Mumbai terrorist attacks provided an opportunity for the two countries to unearth the perpetrators of terrorist attacks in both Pakistan and India. He said that suspension of Peace Process would embolden extremists from both sides and accordingly it should be resumed at the earliest. The High Commissioner said that for the realization of full economic potential in South Asia and to bring about lasting peace, it was imperative that all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India including Jammu & Kashmir, Siachin, Sir Creek and water issues are resolved at the earliest in accordance with international legality. He stressed that domestic political compulsions should not be allowed to derail the peace process.
