Islamabad: Pakistan PM’s foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz has reacted strongly to a statement given by United States (US) President Barack Obama that both Pakistan and Afghanistan were among the countries that would continue to face instability and turmoil for decades. On Friday, Foreign adviser said, “Whatever the US president said about instability in Pakistan and Afghanistan are his predictions and have nothing to do with ground realities”.

On Thursday night, in his last State of the Union address, Obama had warned: “Instability will continue for decades in many parts of the world – in the Middle East, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in parts of central America, Africa and Asia,” he said. “Some of these places may become safe havens for new terrorist networks; others will fall victim to ethnic conflict, or famine, feeding the next wave of refugees.”

Aziz is disagree with Obama and said, “Pakistan is taking decisive action against terrorism and militancy and days to come will witness more stability here”. As far as Afghanistan is concerned, he added, “instability exists but Pakistan is making all out efforts for establishing peace and stability there”. He also said that Pakistan would foil all sinister designs against this project, speaking about the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).  CPEC will help Pakistan overcome energy crisis, and projects related to CPEC will infuse new life in the infrastructure, Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying.

In answering a question, the adviser said there was no competition between Chabahar port in Iran and Gwadar port and the two ports have been declared “sister ports”. He remarked, “Gwadar provides a shorter route to Central Asia than Chabahar”. Referring to the expected India-Pakistan foreign secretaries talks, he said both countries are in touch and new dates for the talks would be finalised soon.