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New YorkPrime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the issue of drone strikes would be raised during his meeting with US President Barack Obama on October 23.
Addressing the Pakistani community here, the prime minister said he had raised the issue of drone attacks during his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and told him that these strikes were unacceptable.
The prime minister stressed that all outstanding issues with India could be resolved via dialogue. He added that peace in the region would be achieved when there is peace in Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan should not interfere in our internal matters and we should not interfere in theirs.
Nawaz Sharif said his government was determined to lift the country out of morass it finds itself in after years of neglect and mismanagement and will bring the hard-working Pakistanis much-deserved economic progress. Amidst resounding applause, the Prime Minister said he and his party had weathered some very difficult times but had now been returned to power through ballot. Every Pakistani should be proud of the unprecedented transfer of democratic power that has recently taken place in Pakistan, he said.
The wrongs done to the country under dictatorial rule would be fixed and the government has drawn an elaborate plan to step up economic development through a series of projects in infrastructure, energy, educational fields, and intra-regional economic corridor, he added.
We are determined to face off the challenges, which are big and difficult, as they have accumulated over the years we have to improve the law and order, we have to curb terrorism - for which we will hold dialogue as the priority way, improved security environment will help bring investment in to the country and bolster growth.
The Prime Minister said the Motorway project would be completed right up to Karachi, dams would be built to overcome nagging blackouts and provide smooth supply of power to the industries that would open up jobs. He cited his interaction with the Chinese and Turkish leaders and said economic corridor from Khunjrab to Gwadar and then establishment of road linkage between Pakistan, Kabul and Central Asian countries onward would also help spur trade and economic activity in the country. The government also intends to connect Abbottabad and Islamabad with a tunnel, he added.
I know we will have to arrange finances for these projects but we will be steadfast in pursuit of our development plans, he said.
In the regional context, he expressed his desire for regional peace,including with neighbouring countries Afghanistan and India. He said he raised the issue of US drone strikes in his UN address as well as in a meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry as such operations on Pakistani soil were in violation of the countrys sovereignty and they were counterproductive.
Earlier, Pakistans Ambassador to the United Nations Masood Khan presented a welcome address on behalf of the community.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the loans taken by the government in the last five years are more than the loans from the 40 to 50 years before then.
Former governments should be questioned about why they did not pay enough attention to the enormous loans that the country has accumulated, said Nawaz.
He said that these problems were inherited by (former president Asif Ali) Zardaris government from (former president Pervez) Musharrafs government. Nawaz added that the government is facing tough decisions of whether to increase funding of education, dams and other areas of development or to pay back loans. He said that the repayment of around Rs500 billion of dues to the independent power producers (IPPs) had put a major dent in their plans to develop the country.
The government has an agenda to solve the countrys problems but we do not have the resources, said Nawaz, adding that it will take time and a lot of effort to improve the situation.
Nawaz spoke highly of the Chinese leaders saying that they had met him with love and affection, he added that China seems truly passionate about helping Pakistan.
The reception was attended by Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security Sartaj Aziz, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi , Secretary Foreign Affairs Jalil Abbas Jillani and Pakistans Consul General in New York Faqir Asif Hussain. Agencies
India, Afghanistan should not interfere in our affairs: PM