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Nawaz seeks German cooperation to meet electricity shortage
* PM says biggest challenge for Pakistan is power supply * Withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan a new opportunity for whole region
APP
BERLIN: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan desires German support to meet its energy needs and economic modernisation.
“The highest priority for us is to boost Pakistan’s economy. And the biggest challenge is the power supply. We do not have enough gas and we do not have enough electricity, there are many power outages. Germany can provide us projects that can help to meet our energy needs,” the prime minister said in an interview to German newspaper Die Welt published on Monday. He said Pakistan was one of the largest wheat producers in the world and one of the major cotton exporters. Nawaz said he wanted successful deals with Germany during his visit.
To a question, he said after withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan a new era for the war ravaged country would begin, which was also a new opportunity for the whole region. “We must work together to defeat terror. We must support each other. We must not allow terrorist attacks. The Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, has also declared that he will not tolerate such activities,” Prime Minister Nawaz said. To another question, he said Pakistan was determined to defeat any terrorist network and to destroy it. Pakistan forces, he added, would fight until every terrorist activity would be beaten.
The prime minister termed the allegations that Pakistan supports the Afghan Taliban, completely irrelevant, absurd and absolutely wrong. “Pakistan is a country that combats the terrorists and eliminates their safe havens.” He said Pakistan had suffered both men and material losses in the war against terrorism. “Our soldiers have lost their lives in this struggle while approximately 50,000 people have died in the terror attacks. Besides, the country’s economy has suffered greatly.” About peace talks with Pakistan Taliban, the prime minister said for the talks there was a consensus among all political parties and state institutions.
“We have meant this initiative very seriously. But terrorist activity continued and so we had no choice but to fight,” the prime minister added. About peace in Afghanistan, Nawaz said Afghanistan was a sovereign state with an independent policy and the Afghan government understood the problems of the country very well. He said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani certainly had carefully considered the call for peace negotiations to the Taliban. He said he firmly believed that Afghanistan must be stabilised and since this was also the goal of the president and his coalition partner, Abdullah Abdullah.
“I hope and pray for their success. They talk to everyone and that is the right approach,” he added. To another question, Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan was a modern country that looked to the future and believed in progress and growth. He said Pakistan wanted to work hand in hand with the international community and it was on the right track. The government was fighting terrorism and improved its relations with all neighbours.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk