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PM Nawaz Sharif

PM Nawaz totally empowered on policy decisions: Abdul Basit

ISLAMABAD: There is no doubt that the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Nawaz Sharif remains in the driving seat when it comes to policy matters, says Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit.

“I have no doubt that Nawaz Sharif, who is an elected prime minister, is in the driving seat when it comes to policy matters. It is the civilian side, which calls the shots,” Basit was quoted as saying by the Indian media.

On Pak-India relations, the HC said, “Our relations with India are very important part of our foreign policy, so, if there are inputs from our security agencies, there is nothing extraordinary.”

Abdul Basit categorically said that the two countries could not “escape” from bilateral engagement. “They could not live in “perpetual hostility”,” he asserted.

The high commissioner also noted that the pattern in Indo-Pak ties was “one step forward and two steps backward”.

Therefore, it was important that the two countries should be engaged in “irreversible” and build on the past progress and not squander them, he added.

“It is unnatural not to talk or not have normal relations. It is absolutely incumbent on both sides to keep
the door ajar (for talks)…We cannot live in perpetual hostility,” Basit said.

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.