Police Reopen Line to View Pope's Body in Vatican
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk

SHEIKHUPURA: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday said masses have rejected the politics of agitation, long-march and strikes and added that Parliament is the most appropriate forum for discussion on political issues.

Talking to reporters after performing the ground-breaking ceremony of Assembly Plant of Agro Tractors in Sheikkhupura Thursday, he said the recent strike call by Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal [MMA] ended in a fiasco.

Answering a question about the MMA plan to hold a long-march to Gujranwala on April 16, Shuakat Aziz said negative politics had adverse effects on the country and the poor people.

He said negotiations with opposition are a continuing process and said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had met him over a dinner a few days ago.

The Prime Minister said he had urged the opposition to bring issues if they had any to parliament as it is the best forum and the democratic way to discuss and resolve matters.

Of Balochistan

Referring to a question on Balochistan issue, the Prime Minister said a team headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was doing a commendable job and making headway steadily.

He said the situation in Dera Bugti and Sui had improved considerably and added that the province would prosper only in an environment of peace.

Sino-Pakistan Ties

To a question about recent visit of Chinese Premier to Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz billed it as a historic one. He said Pakistan has extremely friendly ties with the Peoples Republic of China and the two countries have common perceptions on the global issues and developments taking place in the region.

Both the countries are benefiting from the cooperation in the field of defence, culture, economy and diplomatic spheres, he said. Shaukat Aziz said China had always stood by Pakistan and “our friendship is time-tested.” He said the Chinese Premier’s visit to Pakistan would open up new dimensions and give a new impetus and momentum to the deep-rooted ties.

The Prime Minister recalled that during his visit to China in December last year he had made a number of proposals regarding co-operation in various fields and discussed them thoroughly with his Chinese counterpart.

He said it was an unprecedented occasion in the country’s history that 22 agreements had been signed with China during the visit of Chinese Premier.

The most important was the Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation, he said, pointing out that China had yet not signed such a treaty with any other country. The treaty marks the beginning a new era of friendship and co-operation between the two countries, he said.●