(Oct-31-2022)
Chairman of National Business Group Pakistan, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Monday said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is improving relations with many important countries including America, China, and Saudi Arabia.
The business community strongly supports his efforts as it is a matter of national interest, he said.
Talking to the business community, the veteran business leader said that some irresponsible politicians had adopted a policy of making statements against important institutions for the sake of popularity.
Such statements have angered many friendly countries and they reduced or terminated cooperation with Islamabad which greatly increased the country’s problems.
However, Shahbaz Sharif preferred to end the isolation of the country as soon as he assumed power and started improving relations with these nations the effects of which are also coming to light.
Work is resuming on several stalled projects while the potential for billions of dollars in investment is also emerging, he observed.
He noted that the United Nations, International institutions including IMF, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank are showing a positive attitude towards Pakistan.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that the Prime Minister is also trying to end the indifference in relations with the US, in which he is getting success.
America is Pakistan’s largest foreign market and it also receives investments from this country which is the most influential power.
The US has also influence in many international institutions like IMF while Pakistan needs these institutions to avoid bankruptcy.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that Pakistan will have to balance its relations with the US and China as both powers are important for Pakistan but they are in conflict with each other and it will be a challenge for Islamabad to remain neutral.
America gives more importance to India than Pakistan, for which we have to formulate a suitable plan so that this friendship does not disturb the balance of power in the region and does not harm Pakistan.
India’s military capability is continuously increasing, due to which Pakistan also has to increase its expenses in this regard, which makes the situation more difficult.
