Chairman PCI on the Afghanistan Peace Process
Date : September 24, 2013
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Islamabad (Sept 23, 2013): Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Pakistan China Institute, and Chairman, Senate Defence Committee has said that there was no military solution to the Afghanistan imbroglio and intra-Afghan dialogue is the only best path to reconciliation. He was addressing a regional conference with the theme of peace building process in Afghanistan, reconciliation and cooperation in the region at China-South Asia Peace and Development Forum, held in an eternal spring city of Kunming, the capital and largest city of Yunnan province in Southwest China, which borders Myanmar and Vietnam.
In his speech, Senator Mushahid Hussain said after the withdrawal of NATO- US troops from Afghanistan, in case a vacuum is developed as happened in 1989, then regional organizations like Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and United Nations (UN) should play proactive to strengthen peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Senator Mushahid Hussain highlighted the concept of “Greater South Asia", which he said, is not just seven countries of the South Asian subcontinent but also includes China, Myanmar, Iran and Afghanistan. Commenting to the regional geo-political scenario, he expressed: "The emergence of greater South Asia would pave way for regional cooperation, driven by economy and energy, which is key to regional peace, prosperity and development”.
Senator Mushahid Hussain further said that that China’s Southwestern city of Kunming and Northwestern city of Kashgar are two pivotal points driven by energy and economic corridors which have offer immense economic opportunities for Pakistan, a close trusted friend and nieghbours of China
Referring to China’s tremendous economic achievements in the last four decades, Mushahid said China has important development opportunities for neighboring countries therefore China and South Asia should make joint efforts to safeguard peace, adhere to independence and self-empowerment, oppose external interference and work together for Greater Asia.
“Diffusion of Syrian crisis and thaw in Iran-American relations would have positive effects on Afghanistan”, Senator Mushahid Hussain concluded.
The three-day-long event was organized by the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament, UN System in China and the Yunnan provincial government to showcase the Chinese and South Asian people's shared wish to seek peace, strengthen cooperation and promote development. The forum is also expected to tighten the bonds of friendship between China and its neighboring countries in South Asia.
Several senior Chinese state leaders, local leaders of Yunnan Province, political leaders, scholars, parliamentarians from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and Maldives attended the forum.
From Pakistan side, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Deputy Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, the President of the Regional Peace Institute and former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Sheihk Rashid Ahmed, Member of the Pakistan Parliament and Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League (N), Amir Haider Khan and Akram Khan Durrani were part of delegation.