Civil-military leadership making joint efforts to strengthen economy: PM Shehbaz

• Efforts underway to make the country’s economy strong, says PM.
• Pakistan continues condemning all atrocities against Lebanon: PM.
• PM Shehbaz says efforts afoot to de-escalate situation in Mideast.

NEW YORK:  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the civil and military leadership was making collective efforts to strengthen Pakistan's economy and diplomatic relations.

Speaking to the media along with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during the 81st session of UNGA in New York on Thursday, he said that mutual consultations and efforts were underway to make the country's economy strong.

He said Pakistan's leadership was intensifying efforts to achieve peace in the region under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

"We will work together to promote peace in the region," he added.

He said Pakistan and Lebanon were two brotherly countries and "we strongly support territorial integrity of Lebanon and its independence".

Islamabad continued condemning all the atrocities against Lebanon, he said, adding that the killing of innocent people was not acceptable.

The Lebanese prime minister commended the efforts being made by Pakistan to calm down the situation in the region and find a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

He appreciated the efforts made by Pakistan regarding Lebanon.

He said Lebanon could not isolate itself from the wider conflict in the region and "we are hopeful that Pakistani efforts will succeed in bringing down the tensions in the region and hopefully a diplomatic solution will be found".

Talking about the situation in Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab in the Red Sea, PM Shehbaz said that brotherly and friendly countries were making efforts to de-escalate the situation.

To a question about his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, he affirmed that he took Pezeshkian into confidence about Pakistan's efforts to de-escalate regional tensions.

The premier said that he told the Iranian president that the establishment of peace in the region was the need of the hour.

"Iran is our brotherly neighbouring country and, like before, Pakistan's civil and military leadership will continue collective efforts for peace," he remarked.

He said President Pezeshkian appreciated Pakistan's efforts for peace and said Iran fully accepted the Islamabad MoU and was ready to work further on it.

To another question, he said that terrorists coming from Afghanistan were perpetrating terrorist activities in Pakistan, martyring civilians, and military and police officers and personnel.

"The incidents of terrorism are highly condemnable, and Pakistan is responding befittingly," he said, adding, "We will not sit idle until terrorism is completely eradicated from the country."