LAHORE – A delegation of US journalists met PML-N leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Pervaiz Rashid, Anusha Rehman and Ambassador Tariq Fatemi at the party secretariat Monday.
Iqbal briefed the delegates about his party feats and told the delegation that the post-9/11 policies fuelled anti-US feelings in Pakistan when a military dictator was supported by the White House.
He said Pakistan and the US have interdependence, and sustainable bilateral relations can be built by authentic diplomacy, bilateralism and mutual respect.
He also talked about his party policy towards the Pakistan-India relationship and mentioned Indian PM Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan in the Nawaz Sharif regime when the Lahore Declaration was signed under.
He reiterated his party’s resolve to carry on showing the same spirit for regional peace and harmony.
The importance of resolution of Kashmir dispute was also highlighted while the journalists were told that PML-N want free and peaceful Afghanistan.
Iqbal also expressed the hope that international forces would not repeat the mistake it did after the departure of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan. He also pointed out that peace and stability in the two neighbouring countries was linked.
The PML–N leaders reiterated party’s vision of a moderate and progressive Pakistan. They also emphasised that militancy and terrorism had no place in Islam. The party lays stress on addressing root cause of the problem. The party has already formulated a comprehensive strategy as reflected in its manifesto that would include educational, social, administrative and economic measures to create opportunities for the youth.