Mushahid urges govt to send high-level security delegation to China to discuss cooperation against terrorism

Date : August 05, 2011

August 05, 2011 ISLAMABAD, August 5:Chairman, Pakistan-China Institute, Mushahid Hussain, Friday urged the government to send a high-level security delegation to China to discuss bilateral cooperation against the menace of terrorism and extremism to alleviate any concerns and address misunderstandings if any exist between both the friendly neighbours as the Western and Indian media was publishing negative stories finger-pointing at Pakistan for recent acts of terrorism in Kashghar.

“It is the primary responsibility of the government and the armed forces to ensure that no part of Pakistani territory should be ever allowed for use by any extremists and terrorists against any of our neighbours, particularly China. Sino-Pakistan ties are solid and strong and no negative propaganda can undermine this robust relationship,” said Mushahid Hussain while addressing a seminar titled “Regional development and Pakistan-China relations” here at Sir Syed memorial Society.  

Mushahid said that Pakistan has condemned terrorism, extremism and separatism in China as stability in China is vital for the security of Pakistan especially in the wake of three vital contexts, which are relevant to understand in the sudden upsurge of violence in Xinjiang province bordering Pakistan, where Kashgar is located.

“Pakistan and China are broadening their close cooperation which has raised concerns in some regional countries and big powers. Then, China has announced a special economic zone in Kasghar which would be now a hub of energy, economic, trade and commerce cooperation between China and Pakistan and China and  central Asia. Kashghar is the key now to future regional economic cooperation between Pakistan and China. And, thirdly, there is also a new 'Great Game' developing in our region with some forces in the West trying to contain China’s peaceful rise by cobbling an anti-China coalition in Asia. Thus the negative propaganda about some elements of Pakistan being involved in the Kasghar incidents is a motivated design to hurt the excellentband intimate  Sino-Pak relations and cooperation,” he asserted.

He said as the US prepares it's end-game in Afghanistan, China and Pakistan, together with Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are already major players in the region and thus bilateral cooperation, based on stability,  is vital. Answering a question about Pakistan's track record in combating the anti-China terrorists and extremists,  Mushahid said that Pakistani forces have been active in tracking down Chinese separatists and ETIM leader Hassan Masoom was killed by Pakistan army in 2003 while his successor, Abdul Haq Al-Turkistani, was killed in a drone attack on information provided by Pakistan on May 7, 2010.  He said like other countries, there might be some ungoverned spaces inside Pakistan, just like the Pak-Afghan bordering area, where the separatists may be present but Pakistan has to ensure that no part of its territory is used for terrorism in China or any other neighbouring country.

Former state minister for foreign affairs Inamul Haq said all religio-political parties of Pakistan were one about the Pakistan-China relationship and none of the leaders had ever uttered a single word or had promoted anything negative which could hurt this friendship. He said the Chinese investments and projects in Pakistan were worth US$ 25 billion which were multiplying with the each day passing.

He said apart from the media claims, he doubted that the US forces would leave Afghanistan the way they had not departed from Iraq despite the expiry of deadline of year 2011.


 “I believe that the US would not leave Afghanistan which is a center from where they can watch China, Pakistan, Iran and other important regional players. Afghanistan is home to billions of gold and copper reserves while same is the case with Pakistan which has untapped reserves of gold, copper, oil and gas worth billions of dollars,” he added.

Former foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar said that situation in and around Pakistan was dangerous and complex and the country painted a gloomy picture of instability. He said Pakistani leadership should act immediately to stop country slipping further down. He said it was unfortunate that the government was failing in handling the country’s affairs while the opposition like an opportunist was trying to get political space out of the Karachi violence.    

Khokhar said the Kashghar incident was tragic but the way some western and India media outlets had published reports about the incident from unnamed Chinese sources finger-pointing towards Pakistan was interesting despite the fact that the Chinese officials had contradicted these reports. He said Sino-Pak friendship was rocklike and enduring and that was the reason that attempts were being made to undermine this exceptional relationship.

Prof. Zhou Rong highlighted the central government’s efforts to ensure economic development in Xinjiang province. He said the central government of China was going to invest billions of Yuan in Xinjiang to raise the GDP ratio and per capita income of the people of Xinjiang Province. He said Kashghar was going to become an economic hub and regional cooperation after the central government had announced tax-holiday in Kashghar.