National unity, political stability imperative to tackle prevailing challenges: Rana Sanaullah

FAISALABAD, Mar 21 (APP):Adviser to Prime Minister (PM) on Political & Public Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah Khan on Saturday said that Pakistan had emerged as a symbol of peace, unity and hope in the Muslim world.
However, national unity and political stability were imperative to effectively deal with prevailing internal and external challenges of the country.
Talking to the media after offering Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at his public secretariat here, he said that Pakistan was currently confronting multiple challenges on different fronts. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the country was successfully addressing these issues, which had further strengthened its position at the international level.
He said that Pakistan had strongly condemned the aggression against Iran as well as the attack on its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reiterating full solidarity with the Islamic world. He said that Pakistan not only stood by Iran but also condemned any aggression against other Muslim countries rather it reaffirmed its commitment to support them.
Rana Sanaullah said that Pakistan today enjoyed the confidence of brotherly countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. Pakistan had emerged as a symbol of peace and unity in the Muslim Ummah, he said and termed its role vital for maintaining peace and stability in the region.
Referring to Afghanistan, he said that Pakistan’s stance is very clear as it neither wanted to impose war on Afghanistan nor had any intention of occupying its territory. “Pakistan only desired that Afghan soil should not be used against any country particularly against Pakistan, which was in line with international law,” he said and added that tensions between the two countries could end immediately if Afghanistan provided such assurances.
He also reiterated Pakistan’s respect for the Doha Agreement and adherence to international laws.
He said that Operation “Ghazab-lil-Haq” was being carried out purely on intelligence-based information targeting terrorist hideouts. The security forces had effectively dismantled several sanctuaries used for training terrorists, he added.
He said the state institutions were fully committed to eradicating terrorism and had achieved significant successes in this regard.
On political situation, Rana Sanaullah said that the incumbent government believed in continuity of the democratic process and Prime Minister’s message of “Istihkam-e-Pakistan” had received a positive response from the public.
The prevailing global situation was highly sensitive and had the potential to trigger crises worldwide, therefore, national cohesion was the need of the hour, he added.
Commenting on the May 9 incidents, he said that delay in registration and proceedings of cases occurred due to a “stay order” by the Supreme Court. However, the courts have now started hearing the cases and awarding punishments in accordance with the law, he added.
He said that justice was being served and no innocent person had been punished. Those aggrieved by court decisions had the right to appeal, he added.
Referring to cases against former premier Imran Khan, he said that the £190 million case, Toshakhana reference and other matters were well known. However, every citizen had the legal right to pursue appeals, he added.
He said that all sects in Pakistan enjoyed equal rights and stressed that no external incident should be used as a pretext for arson, violence or destruction of property within the country. Such actions are unacceptable and the people should act responsibly and avoid the activities detrimental to national interest, he added.
Responding to a question, Rana Sanaullah said that Pakistan was committed to its agreements with Saudi Arabia and was making efforts to reduce regional tensions by promoting rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
He stressed that not every issue could be resolved through conflict, rather diplomacy and dialogue could play a key role in this regard.
Criticising the PTI-led government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the senator said that it was prioritising political and group interests over national interests, adding that all political forces should unite on national issues.
He further alleged that the PTI was more inclined towards striking deals with the establishment rather than engaging in constructive politics for national stability. If a particular political project were not launched in 2018, Pakistan would have achieved far greater progress, he added.
On economic situation, Rana Sanaullah said that the government was taking measures to provide relief to masses and it had rejected a summary proposing an increase in petroleum products prices. However, he appealed to the public to reduce consumption of petrol and gas by up to 50 per cent to support the national economy.
About local government elections, he said that the polls would be held as soon as the situation improved. The government was fully prepared in this regard, he added.
He also highlighted rapid population growth as a major challenge and said that insufficient attention had been given to this issue in the past and more effective measures were required at federal and provincial levels. However, some progress is underway at the constitutional level in this regard, he added.
Replying to another query, he said if the sons of Imran Khan wished to meet him, arrangements should be made in accordance with the law including security measures. However, if they intended to participate in political activities, the matter would be dealt with as per legal provisions. The PTI had made the issue of meetings controversial unnecessarily despite a clear high court ruling, which should be implemented in letter and spirit, he added.