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Summary Dialogue, development and democracy were the only roadmap to peace, said PPP Chairman.
Addressing the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in the Chinese town of Nanning, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that dialogue, development and democracy was the only roadmap to peace and that use of force alone would not defeat extremism unless it was tempered with political engagement and economic development.Responding to the criticism by some of Pakistan’s role in the war against militancy the PPP Chairman said that no other country understood this war better than Pakistan and no other country had paid such a heavy price as Pakistan.“My country lies wounded as a victim of terror. We don’t lack the will. We lack the means. We are neither complicit nor are we incompetent. We lack capacity to face the world’s enemies on our own. At a time of global recession and natural disasters, when Pakistan requires sympathy, support and assistance from the west we are met with suspicions, accusations and deionization”.Ultimately, it would require the collective will and joint action of all the peace-loving countries of the world to banish these dark forces permanently from our midst, he said. The PPP Chairman also called upon the Asian countries to set up an Asian Monetary Fund, strengthen economic cooperation and take steps to guard against future financial crises like the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.Asia needed a new independent financial order to chart its own future course, he said. The PPP Chairman also called for gearing economic development towards welfare of the people. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also spoke of the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan and recalled the resilience of the Pakistani nation to address challenges. “Sindh and Baluchistan has yet again been inundated by heavy rains and flooding. Millions have been displaced once again and that placed an enormous burden on our people. However, we are a resilient nation and we will fully recover.”The PPP Chairman also took note of the tendency among some to demonize emerging Asian economic superpowers like China and called it ‘the fear factor’.The Conference is being attended by about 150 delegates representing 53 political parties from 26 countries of Asia including Turkey, Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, India, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Srilanka, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
