ISLAMABAD - Advisor to German Chancellor on foreign policy and national security Dr. Christoph Heusgen called on the Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here at PM’s House on Thursday.
They discussed matters related to bilateral cooperation and mutual interest. German Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Cyrill J. Nunn and Special Advisor to Prime Minister, Tariq Fatmi were also present at the occasion. Later Kyoichi Tanada President Toyota Motors Asia-Pacific also called on the PM. Nawaz appreciated the investment of Toyota Motors in Pakistan and hoped that the company will enhance its capacity utilization with the objective to decrease its cost of production.
The PM told that government is providing incentives to the investors and hoped that the car manufacturing industry will also benefit from it. Prime Minister said that Auto Industry Policy for the next five years is being prepared which will ensure level playing field for all the auto manufacturers.
Kyoichi Tanada thanked the Prime Minister for giving him time and expressed his confidence that the manufacturers will benefit from present government policies.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Ch Nisar Ali Khan, said that the international community must come up with a clear and coherent policy vis-a-vis Afghanistan in the post-2014 scenario. He said this while talking to the Adviser of German Chancellor on Foreign and Security Policy, Dr. Christoph Heusgen who called on him. Germany’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Cyrill Nunn was also present during the meeting.
The minister said that right now the discussion being done among the various stakeholders in this regard leaves a lot to be desired. He emphasized on greater coordination between Pakistani and the international community in the interest of peace in Afghanistan.
The minister said that Pakistan has suffered the most in the aftermath of 9/11. He said, “we have lost thousands of lives in the war against extremism. The focus of current government is on economic development, which needs peace and stability. Pakistan is committed to having peace in the region and not letting violence being exported to any other country.”
Ch. Nisar said that PM Nawaz Sharif is very clear on having peaceful relations with all neighbouring countries. He said that Pakistan is committed to pursuing a non-partisan policy in Afghanistan and emphasized that solution of the problems afflicting the country must come from within Afghanistan through a policy of negotiations.
He said the govt is working on a National Security Policy for the country, which would help us in meeting the challenge posed by terrorism and violence. Khan said PML (N) has always laid great emphasis on Pakistan’s relations with Germany. He recalled PM Nawaz Sharif’s visits to Germany during his previous two tenures in office during 1990s that served to strengthen bilateral ties during Germany’s post-unification phase.
Talking about Pakistan’s business and economic ties with Germany, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that our economic relations are not commensurate with our bilateral ties and efforts must be made by both sides to strengthen them.
On the suggestion of Interior Minister, Dr. Heusgen promised to look into the possibility of having greater parliamentary exchanges between Pakistan and Germany.
The Minister asked the German government to give institutional and training support to Pakistan, particularly in fields like police training, to make our cities safer. A proposal to designate sister cities was also highlighted.
Dr. Heusgen said the outgoing government in Germany recently invited a delegation of Pakistani businessmen for strengthening economic and commercial ties between the two countries and work is underway for arranging a similar visit of German businessmen to Pakistan. He said investors would be attracted to Pakistan in an improved security situation.
He mentioned that Germany favours a policy of reconciliation in Afghanistan. In this regard bilateral relations between regional countries are of key significance. He welcomed the initiative taken by the Prime Minister of Pakistan for improving ties with India and said the new government of Germany would support greater bilateral cooperation between India and Pakistan.