Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan expressed the country’s willingness to engage in serious talks with its neighbors, emphasizing that wars are not a solution to issues. He made these remarks while addressing the inaugural session of the “Pakistan Minerals Summit” in Islamabad, possibly referring to India.
PM Sharif stressed the importance of maintaining friendly ties with all countries for mutual benefit. He regretted that Pakistan had experienced three wars in the last 75 years, which had led to increased poverty and resource shortages that could have otherwise been utilized for development and prosperity.
The Prime Minister highlighted the need to learn from past experiences and make strenuous efforts to explore untapped resources, including natural minerals and reserves, and develop key sectors like agriculture, information technology, and industry.
He discussed the significance of self-contemplation on Pakistan’s journey of the last 75 years and acknowledged the need to address issues related to exploitation of the country’s precious natural deposits worth an estimated $6 trillion.
PM Sharif mentioned examples like the establishment of Pakistan Steel Mills with Russian support in the 1970s and the Reko Diq case where a hefty penalty was imposed on Pakistan. He also pointed out corruption and mismanagement in certain sectors, urging introspection to correct past mistakes.
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the functioning of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the past, stating that it had created fear and harassed the business community and bureaucrats, being used as a tool for political witch-hunting of opponents.
He emphasized the importance of unity and discipline in society and highlighted the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to collaborate and facilitate the execution of development projects.
Foreign delegates also participated in the summit and emphasized the need for exploring Pakistan’s natural resources using modern technologies and offered suggestions to attract foreign investments.