LAHORE: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Security Moeed Yusuf has said that Pakistan needs to tell the world about its narrative of promoting economic security, regional connectivity and peace.

Speaking at ‘Meet The Press’ programme of the Lahore Press Club on Saturday, Mr Yusuf urged the media to represent state confidence in reporting. He said Pakistan was talking about regional peace, partnerships and economic corridor, asking what else a forward-looking country could be.

He said Islamabad was asking the world, including China and the US, to invest in Pakistan and become partners. Regretting that Pakistan should not call itself a “small market”, he stressed the country must strengthen its confidence and start telling the world it was the sixth largest country.

He further said that media persons were equal partners in a country’s diplomacy and the local media should extensively represent the country’s narrative since hostile nations used their media to make their point.

PM’s aide says Islamabad needs to play aggressive for Kashmir cause

Referring to his interview with Indian journalist Karan Thapar, the SAPM said most of the questions were based on news items published in the Pakistani media.

He said Pakistan needed to play aggressive for the Kashmir cause because India had changed the status of held Kashmir and was treating its population in the most inhumane way. India was spreading the narrative that Pakistan had sold out Kashmir and that it was no more serious about Kashmiris. However, he said, he had explained in the most vocal manner in the interview with Mr Thapar that “the Kashmir issue will be compromised over my dead body”.

Yusuf said any bargain over Kashmir could take place after India withdrew all its actions, including the change of status on Aug 5, 2019 that led to an armed siege of the valley, and take decisions on the basis of the UN resolutions. Even pro-India Kashmiri leader Farooq Abdullah had stated in his interview with Thapar that Kashmiris did not want to hear India’s name.

“I told Mr Thapar that India will be compelled to reverse its illegal actions in held Kashmir not because of Pakistan’s pressure, but the pressure within the valley since Kashmiris are being treated in the most inhumane manner,” Mr Yusuf said. He said that he asked India to come to the negotiation table.

In the interview, Mr Yusuf said, he had also made it clear that now Pakistan wanted to speak against terrorism being committed by India. He said he also explained how an Indian intelligence handler was in touch with the mastermind of the attack on Army Public School in Pakistan as well as provided proofs of Indian involvement in the attacks on a hotel in Gwadar, Pakistan Stock Exchange and the Chinese consulate.

The national security adviser said that his interview was very well appreciated within the country and added that almost 90 per cent feedback was that Pakistan saw a bold and clear-cut stance for the first time. “This means we never presented our case about Kashmir in a fearless manner,” he remarked.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2020