Premier asserts that his administration was formed by constitutional means and has the mandate of the people.
ISTANBUL: According to statements made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the subsequent general elections in the nation “shall be conducted on schedule,” which is sometime after August 2023.
“Let me be very clear: the next elections will be conducted on schedule,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said in an interview with Anadolu Agency.
He was replying to queries about his predecessor and the call for early elections by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
“This administration was formed via a constitutional process and has the support of the Pakistani people,” he continued.
“The present National Assembly will conclude its term in August 2023, after which an interim administration will be formed and elections will be held,” the prime minister added.
The current coalition administration has “Except for the PTI, it represents all political parties in the nation and is occupied with matters of considerable significance.”
Notably, Imran, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said on Saturday that his party has chosen to resign from all provincial legislatures, a move regarded as a further attempt to press the government for early elections in the nation.
Combination of initiatives to combat the economic slump
PM Shehbaz, who was elected prime minister in April after his predecessor Imran Khan lost a vote of confidence, said that Pakistan’s economy was “on the edge of financial collapse” and “facing many global and local issues” when he took office.
“The previous administration’s economic policies were not growth-friendly and caused the economy to face several obstacles.
“Pakistan’s economy faced excessive monetary tightening, supply-side shocks, lingering pandemic impacts, declining investor confidence, rising inflation, and the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine crisis,” he said.
Shehbaz, however, said that his government has taken a “combination of strategies to combat the economic crisis by recognising that we have a very little time to pull back from the brink of bankruptcy and financial collapse.”
“Undoubtedly, some of our policy alternatives, such as the elimination of untargeted subsidies, had increased the economy’s short-term costs. However, the majority of our programmes are more likely to provide long-term advantages “he remarked.
“This included policy decisions and political will. We took the risk of reversing the untargeted subsidies despite the fact that such a difficult choice demands a great deal of political capital.
The prime minister said, “We are also conscious that our present course of action is harming the most disadvantaged and marginalised members of society, but we are taking care of them by announcing targeted subsidies and other relief measures.”
Premier said that the revitalization of the IMF programme and “strong engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners” has relieved pressure.
His administration made steps to minimise the import bill, current account imbalance, and pressure on the Pakistani rupee in order to address the economy.
During the first four months of the fiscal year 2023, the “constant drop in imports” helped reduce the current account deficit, he said.
However, Prime Minister Shehbaz said that the catastrophic floods that struck Pakistan earlier this year “caused a significant lot of hardship.”
Pakistan-Turkiye connections
Facing mutual difficulties and new dangers, Islamabad and Ankara should collaborate via joint research and resource pooling, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Shehbaz told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview, “We think that Pakistan and Turkey should collaborate and strengthen their connection via collective research, joint development, and resource sharing.”
Sharif described bilateral relations with Turkey as exceptional, stating, “These historic ties are strongly rooted in shared religious, cultural, and linguistic ties and transcend political changes on both sides.”
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Friday marked the beginning of a two-day official visit to Turkey at the request of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Whether it’s Jammu and Kashmir or Northern Cyprus, Pakistan and Turkey support each other on all matters of vital national interests. I would want to use this opportunity to thank Turkey, and its leadership in particular, for its principled support towards the Jammu and Kashmir problem “he remarked.
He said that the two countries have similar perspectives on regional and international problems and collaborate closely in bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums.
“Faced with mutual difficulties and new and emerging dangers, Pakistan and Turkey have expanded their collaboration across several domains, especially in the defence sector,” he added, praising the Turkish defence industry.
“Pakistan is Türkiye’s largest defence customer,” the Turkish prime minister emphasised, adding that their collaboration on the construction of the MILGEM-class warships not only has “unique value” for the Pakistani Navy’s capability enhancements, but also “stands out as a defining moment to further cement the bonds of friendship between our two nations and our two navies.”
The foundation of interstate relations should be mutual respect.
Pakistan’s “longstanding and broad-based relationship” with the United States, according to the prime minister, is “dedicated to deepening and expanding.”
“In recent months, interactions between the two nations have been highly fruitful and significant. Our exchanges on several levels have escalated, resulting in a deepening friendship “In answer to inquiries from Anadolu Agency, he said.
Recalling a recent meeting with Vice President Joe Biden in New York, the prime minister said that there had been “a number of high-level visits, including congressional delegations and administration officials”
“These meetings have achieved great outcomes and strengthened our connections,” he added, complimenting Washington for its $97 million donation to flood victims in Pakistan.
Moreover, Pakistan is engaging closely with the United States “to foster peace and stability in Afghanistan” and is following a foreign policy of “friendship and goodwill toward all nations,” he added.
“Pakistan has maintained historically positive ties with the United States and China. Pakistan historically served as a conduit for establishing ties between the United States and the People’s Republic of China “He observed.
“While the Pakistan-China relationship is unique, Pakistan and the United States have maintained a long-standing, broad-based bilateral partnership that encompasses all topics of mutual concern.
“We think that constructive interaction with all nations may improve regional peace and security, as well as economic growth and connectivity. We anticipate continuing to work with the international community to promote peace and stability in the area and beyond “Premier said.
The prime minister said that Pakistan “strongly believes that interstate relations should be based on mutual respect and peaceful settlement of conflicts by maintaining the ideals of the United Nations Charter and international law.”
China’mindful’ of regional complexities and hazards
Regarding ties with China, Prime Minister Shehbaz said that his recent talks with the Chinese leadership “infused fresh vigour into our collaborative efforts to achieve timely development and implementation of significant projects.”
“Important agreements were established on the advancement of key projects like as the Main Line I and Karachi Circular Railway (ML-I/KCR) projects, as well as the implementation of the Framework Agreement on Industrial Cooperation as soon as possible.
“We also agreed to increase cooperation in green energy, research and technology, and agriculture, all of which are critical building blocks for the CPEC’s (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) high-quality growth,” he added.
The prime minister emphasised that Pakistan has always “given top importance to the security and safety of our overseas development partners.”
“The maintenance of a safe and secure environment, which is crucial for investment and socioeconomic growth, has been bolstered.
“Both Pakistan and China are cognizant of the region’s complexity and the threats it entails. We will continue to maintain heightened vigilance and guarantee that the malicious schemes of our adversaries fail “Sharif stated.
India and Kashmir
On whether restarting regular relations between Islamabad and New Delhi is contingent on settling the Kashmir conflict, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s foreign policy is “one of friendship and goodwill towards everybody.”
“We want good ties with all of our neighbours, including India,” the prime minister said.
For “full normalisation” of relations, including the resumption of economic ties, India must “reverse its acts” of August 5, 2019, when New Delhi abolished the minimal autonomy of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In addition, he demanded that India cease its “state terrorism” in IIOJK and refrain from seeking “demographic changes in occupied territory to sustain its unlawful occupation.”
Shehbaz said, in reference to his inauguration speech as prime minister, that he “We reaffirmed our intention to preserve “excellent relations” with India.
“However, we are certain that a lasting peace cannot be established without an equitable settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir problem in conformity with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the desires of the Kashmiri people.”
The Prime Minister noted that the “illegal and unilateral measures” on 5 August 2019 and following activities in IIOJK “further deteriorated the atmosphere.”
