President Dr Arif Alvi said that being an independent country, Pakistan neither wanted to be a toy in anyone’s hands nor looked for polarization.“Pakistan doesn’t want to be a toy in anybody’s hands. Pakistan is an independent country. Pakistan wants good relations with everybody, particularly at the time when we are going through economic turmoil (and) the world is going through economic turmoil. Türkiye is going through economic turmoil,” the president said in an interview with Turkish Anadolu Agency published on Thursday. He said that Pakistan wanted good ties with everyone as the world was going through the economic turmoil. “Pakistan is not looking for any polarization and does not want to be in any camp,” he said.

On Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s upcoming visit to Pakistan in September, he said Islamabad would welcome him. He said Pakistan and Türkiye had a very deep, long-lasting relationship. On Ukraine war, he said Pakistan wanted peace and the role and lauded the President Erdogan’s role in this regard. “The strategic understanding of what is happening around Türkiye, as well as around Pakistan, is important. The fact that the thinking of the Muslim Ummah should be together that will always be on the agenda. The fact that our ties are demonstrated to become closer is important for the people of Pakistan and Türkiye,” he commented. Asked to comment on Pakistan’s plan to purchase oil and grain from Russia, he said it was the government to decide on the matter. He said Pakistan was looking for good relationships with our long-term friends, which was the United States of America. And similarly, the country also wanted to continue and further establish its ties with China, he added.

To a question, about China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the president said it was a partnership which was very important to Pakistan’s economic interest. Regarding relations with India, he said, “Pakistan has been looking for peace. But whether India is looking for peace, I’m not sure because all our overtures have been put under a question mark. I believe that India’s actions in Kashmir were a serious setback to peace.” We believe that Kashmir (issue) should be settled according to the United Nations resolutions At the same time, he said Pakistan was also concerned about the onslaught on Indian Muslims by the ruling BJP party and the Muslim world is also concerned about the way Muslims were being isolated in India. To a question, the president said Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan because it was related to its economy as well. He said Pakistan has done its part for brotherly relations with Afghanistan and advised the interim Afghan government to make it broader, improve women education. Asked to comment on the political situation in Pakistan, he said his role was to try to reduce this political polarization.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP