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Pakistani senate’s deputy chairman on Tuesday said sustainable development is a universal goal that can only be achieved through peace and cooperation by viewing the world through the prism of cooperation rather than competition.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Embassy in Ankara, Saleem Mandviwalla addressed the third Meeting of the Speakers of Eurasia Countries’ Parliaments (MSEAP) held in Turkey’s southern Antalya province.
Speaking about the climate change, Mandviwalla said it is a threat to the very existence of life on the planet and urged to accord environmental issues a high priority in policy formulation in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Pakistan on Monday successfully conducted the training launch of the Ghauri Missile System, which is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, with a range of up to 1,300 kilometers.According to a press release by the Inter Services Public Relations of Pakistan (ISPR), the launch was conducted by the Army Strategic Forces Command and aimed at testing the operational and technical readiness of the command.Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan have conveyed their appreciation on the successful launch of the missile system which consolidates “Pakistan’s nuclear capability which is aimed at peace and stability through a credible deterrence regime.”
Pakistan successfully conducts training launch of nuclear capable missile system
He said world economic growth should be pursued in environmentally sustainable ways along with improving the economic performance of least developed countries.
"In order to achieve the goal of sustainable development, it is imperative to resolve long simmering global disputes like Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine," Mandviwalla was quoted as saying in the statement.
Mandviwalla also stressed the need for establishing a permanent secretariat of the forum.
The third MSEAP under the team --Economic Cooperation, Environment and Sustainable Development in Eurasia -- will continue till Thursday.
U.S. adviser on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad held talks in Islamabad on Tuesday with Pakistan's foreign secretary, the foreign office said, days after visiting Kabul to try to restart talks with the Taliban for an end to the 17-year Afghan war.The appointment last month of Khalilzad, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, highlighted the U.S. administration's fresh efforts to convince Taliban leaders to participate in the Afghan peace process, despite a surge in the group's attacks.Khalilzad met President Ashraf Ghani in the Afghan capital on Sunday to discuss possible peace talks with the Taliban, who have repeatedly rejected negotiation offers and called for a boycott of an Afghan general election set for October 20.Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua received Khalilzad and the two led "delegation-level talks", with security, defence, and diplomatic officials from both countries attending, foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said on social network Twitter.Pakistan to seek IMF loans to help hold up economyPakistan's cooperation in the peace process is believed to be key to its success. The country's powerful military is believed to have kept close ties to the Afghan Taliban since using it to blunt Indian influence in the region in the 1990s.U.S. officials have accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to Taliban militants in its border regions with Afghanistan and using them as an arm of its foreign policy. Pakistan staunchly denies using proxies.Khalilzad is set to travel to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar after leaving Islamabad as part of a 10-day trip in a bid to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.The Afghan-born former ambassador's knowledge of the country's main languages, culture and politics could help him engage with all stakeholders in the peace process, besides his experience advising or working for four U.S. administrations.Former Pakistani PM Sharif resumes political activitiesTurkish envoy meets Pakistan’s army chief
US adviser on Afghanistan holds talks with Pakistan