Mandviwalla urges regional players for promoting peace for development
He said that situation in IOJ&K worsened and tensions escalated further in August last year
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Deputy Chairman, Senate, Saleem Mandviwalla has said that current situation required more sagacity and wisdom on the part of all regional players to promote peace for development and growth in the world.
In an interaction with Russia based Sputnik News on Sunday, the Deputy Chairman observed that, of late, accusations were hurled against Iran which could prove detrimental to regional peace and stability. “I feel that Iran should not be put in a corner.,” Mandviwalla said, adding that Pakistan has very good relations with Iran.
He said that Iran was passing through a testing time due coronavirus and global community need to give a sympathetic consideration for lifting of sanctions to provide relief to the people in Iran.
He said that humanity was in crisis in Iran due to coronavirus and needed support to reduce the pain and sufferings.
“The entire Muslim Ummah could not involve in war with each other. It is just not possible. Any such type of war is very dangerous. It could lead to many other conflicts, many other wars. It could spread out,” Mandviwalla added.
He also specifically mentioned the Kashmir issue. He said that situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir further worsened and tensions escalated further in August last year when New Delhi decided to annul the special status of the India-administered Jammu and Kashmir state and put it under direct federal control.
Previously, the territory had enjoyed its own constitution and autonomous decision-making rights in all areas except for defense, foreign affairs and communications.
In the lead-up to the move, India sent additional troops to Jammu and Kashmir and put it under a curfew.
He said that the valley has been turned into an open jail where people were struggling for access to basic necessities of life.
He said that some reports about the spread of coronavirus in the IOK also reported in media but the Indian government instead of providing medical care to the people, have taken more strict measures to suppress the innocent masses. He said that Pakistan has adopted a principled stand on Kashmir.
The global community needed to take notice of the injustices being committed by the Indian occupying forces.
He urged the international community to see the current tense situation in the disputed Kashmir region as a humanitarian crisis rather than a political one . “Actually the situation is that people are under curfew for last many months. We are more concerned about their sufferings right now than the dispute between Pakistan and India. And that is what we want the world to look at and to consider this as a human rights situation,” Mandviwalla said.
People in Kashmir now have no access to food, medical help or communication and were completely disconnected from the world, he noted. Eight million people’s lives were at stake,” he said. “It was something that we feel due attention from the world,” he said, adding that the issue should be discussed at the UN General Assembly.
Pakistan, while still lacking gas pipelines, could import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia if it got an offer from Moscow, Saleem Mandviwalla, the deputy chairman of Pakistan’s Senate, told Sputnik. “Russia has always been an economic partner of Pakistan. And if Russia, I am sure, has an offer for LNG, I think there should be no problem for Pakistan to purchase it,” Mandviwalla said.
“Pipeline gas is the ideal situation, but till we do get pipeline gas there is no other option than to get LNG,” he said and added a pipeline that was signed into existence in 2013 and envisaged to deliver natural gas from Iran to Pakistan, still experiences delays. With numerous delays from the very start of its construction, this pipeline faced further drag after the United States imposed sanctions against Iran.
Earlier in June, Russia and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding on constructing of the North-South gas pipeline by 2020. The pipeline, with investments worth of $3 billion, is planned to connect Iran, Pakistan and India.
Last year, Moscow and Islamabad also voiced negotiating on possible participation of Russian corporations in the projects for construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Pipeline.
According to the Pakistani Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, in the meantime, the country suffers an acute gas deficit. Its gas demand was estimated at about 6.9 billion cubic feet per day for 2017/2018 and is expected to rise in future.
Regarding Afghan peace process, Mandviwalla observed that it will help open economic channels in the region. Moreover, the deal will constitute an important step toward an intra-Afghan dialogue, which is vital for restoring permanent peace in Afghanistan, he said. “We hope that spoilers of the peace process do not create hurdles,” he added.
Since 2018, the US government and the Taliban have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal that would ensure the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and lasting peace.
He said that Pakistan was invited to the signing ceremony and Pakistan has always supported efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, he added.
“After the US-Taliban Agreement, the next logical step was the formation of a government of national unity to facilitate an intra-Afghan dialogue,” Mandviwalla said. The agreement also calls on the Taliban to begin negotiating directly with Afghan government.
“There could be a number of difficulties which could be encountered [during government formation] including power-sharing, constitution, absorption of militant groups and financial sustainability of Afghanistan as and when the intra-Afghan dialogue begins,” he added.
“The prisoner release was one of the important aspects of the agreement. There are reports of Afghan side has expressed reservations. This has the potential to slow down the process. We hope the Afghan government will honor the provisions of the agreement,” Mandviwalla said.
He said that Islamabad has always advocated for a political rather than a military solution for its neighbor’s crisis. He, however, stressed the need that the US financial assistance to Afghanistan should be continued because a withdrawal will cause the Afghan government to lose control, Saleem Mandviwalla, the deputy chairman of Pakistan’s upper chamber, told Sputnik.
United States decided to slash $1 billion of financial aid to Afghanistan, threatening further cuts.
“It can create [a situation when the] government to lose control and [not being able] to support their system and their military and their people. So I don’t think civil assistance to Afghanistan should stop and it should continue by all the countries which were giving civil assistance to Afghanistan. So that is what our concern is,” he said.
