Trump-Nawaz call details were shared with permission: Fatemi

WASHINGTON: Details of the phone conversation between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US President-elect Donald Trump were shared after obtaining permission from the Trump team, said PM’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi.

Fatemi met with US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken here and conveyed warm wishes of the Prime Minister with regard to the recent US Presidential elections that were held. Fatemi expressed hope that ties between both US and Pakistan would strengthen further after the transfer of power in Washington took place.  

Islamabad released the transcript of a phone conversation between Prime Minister Sharif and Donald Trump. During the conversation, Trump said he was ready to play any role that Pakistan wanted him, and find solutions to outstanding problems. 

He said, "Pakistan is an amazing country with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people." On being invited to visit Pakistan by the Prime Minister, the US president-elect said he would love to visit the 'fantastic country of fantastic people'.

Trump's conversation drew criticism around the world. Questions were raised over his understanding of the region and Nawaz Sharif's position in Pakistan who is being tried for Panama Leaks case in the Supreme Court.

Later, Trump’s team downplayed the conversation.

In a statement issued on Wednesday they said that the two leaders “had a productive conversation about how the US and Pakistan will have a strong working relationship in the future” and Trump was “looking forward to a lasting and strong personal relationship with” Sharif, the team said about the conversation.

UN leadership calls for India-Pakistan dialogue

Top United Nations officials called for resumption of dialogue and de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan during their meeting with the visiting Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

During his trip to New York Fatemi met Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson and Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffery Feltman and briefed them on the situation in South Asia and Afghanistan as well as on Pakistan’s tough counter-terrorism measures.

Fatemi also paid a courtesy call on the Secretary General designate Antonio Guterres who will take over as world’s top diplomat on January 1. He conveyed congratulations to him on behalf of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and expressed hope that the fruitful cooperation between Pakistan and the UN would further enhance under his leadership.

Fatemi also had a luncheon meeting with a group of Arab ambassadors where conversation focused on UN reforms especially of the Security Council to make the 15-member body more effective, accountable and representative.

He was accompanied in all his meetings by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi.

The special assistant to the prime minister, who arrived in Washington from Islamabad on Monday, came to New York on Tuesday morning.

He returned the same evening to the US capital where he will resume his interaction with the US administration and reach out to the officials who are likely to join the new administration following the recent US Presidential election.

Picture from Radio Pakistan

‘Pakistan committed to multilateralism’

Fatemi in his meetings at UN Headquarters reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism.

He said Pakistan expected the UN to play its role in ensuring peace and stability in the region, especially in the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Recalling that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had reached out to India and made efforts to develop a mutually beneficial relationship, he expressed disappointment at the efforts not being reciprocated.

The special assistant to the prime minister also briefed them about continued human rights excesses being committed by Indian occupation forces on the Kashmiri people.

Efforts to quash a popular peaceful spontaneous and indigenous uprising in Indian Occupied Kashmir had led to the killing of over a hundred people, injuries to thousands with over six hundred blinded by the brutal use of pellet guns.

To divert international attention from the atrocities Indian forces had also stepped up ceasefire violations on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.

A particularly deplorable aspect of this escalation was the deliberate targeting of civilians.

He brought to their attention about the attack on a passenger bus and a ambulance on Pakistan side of LoC.

India had also closed the doors on any bilateral engagement.

In this situation the UN had a moral responsibility to call for ending human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir and play its role in resolution of this long festering dispute and help in immediately de-escalating tensions.

‘Pakistan ready to play its part for peace in Afghanistan’

On Afghanistan, Fatemi said Pakistan was ready to play its part for peace and stability in the country.

Pakistan had extended the deadline for return of Afghan refugees as it believed that Afghan refugees should go back to their homeland with dignity and honour.

The Special Assistant also briefed them on the consolidation of democracy in Pakistan the country’s economic revival and its counter-terrorism efforts.

The Counter Terrorism operations had been very successful in eliminating terrorist infrastructure and hideouts. This campaign, he said, would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated.

Deputy Secretary General Eliasson expressed concern at the regional situation and called for the lowering of tensions.

He said Pakistan was an important member of the United Nations and had an important role in the region.

He also appreciated Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees for decades.