[VIDEO] PM Imran Khan at Davos summit, meets President Donald Trump

[Abdullah719]

Prime Minister Imran Khan left for Davos, Switzerland, early on Tuesday to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), reported Radio Pakistan on Tuesday.

The premier is accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, Special Assistant on National Security Mooed Yusuf and Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, while Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Ambassador at large for Investments Ali Jehangir Siddiqui will join the delegation in Davos.

The prime minister will deliver a keynote address at the WEF special session and also interact with corporate leaders at the Pakistan Strategy Dialogue.

On the sidelines, Prime Minister Imran will hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders, the most significant of which will be his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The premier will also hold meetings with a wide range of corporate, technology, finance and business representatives of international financial institutions, Radio Pakistan added.

In addition, he will address senior international media persons and editors during a session with WEF’s International Media Council, say official sources.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the forum where political leaders, business executives, heads of international organisations and civil society representatives will "deliberate on contemporary economic, geopolitical, social and environmental issues."

https://www.dawn.com/news/1529686/pm-imran-leaves-for-davos-summit-expected-to-meet-president-trump

 

[Minnowbasher]

Danald saab se ache talukat rakh ne chaye.
Danald se yeh bhi kehna chaye ke bhai please khudanawasta iran ke jang ke liye Pakistan ko matt istimaal karna.

 

[Abdullah719]

IMRAN KHAN FEATURED ON TIME MAGAZINE’S DAVOS ISSUE

Spoiler

Prime Minister Imran Khan is among the global leaders featured on Time magazine’s cover for its special edition on the World Economic Forum that kicks off in Davos, Switzerland today.

The cover features a photo illustration with Khan, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, World Economic Forum (WEF) Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde astride a ski-lift with snow-covered Swiss Alps in the background. Also featured are U.S. President Donald Trump and climate activist Greta Thunberg, whose at-times combative exchanges are reflected by the wide gap between them. It is headlined Next Gen World, with the story promising to highlight how young leaders are helping the globe.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, this year’s WEF is being staged under the theme of ‘Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.’ Prime Minister Khan is set to deliver a keynote address at the Special Session, and is also slated to interact with corporate leaders at the Pakistan Strategy Dialogue. Several meetings are scheduled with a wide range of corporate, business, technology and finance executives, as well as representatives of international financial institutions.

Local media has reported that the P.M. would hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including U.S. President Donald Trump. He would also speak to senior international media persons and editors during a session with the WEF’s International Media Council.

Per the Foreign Office, Khan would share Pakistan’s vision and achievements in the areas of economy, peace and stability, trade, business and investment opportunities during his trip to Davos. He would also highlight the current situation in India-held Kashmir and Pakistan’s perspective on key regional and international issues, it added.

The annual WEF summit kicks off today (Tuesday) and will last four days. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the forum and political leaders, business executives, heads of international organizations and civil society representatives are set to “deliberate on contemporary economic, geopolitical, social and environmental issues.”

https://www.newsweekpakistan.com/imran-khan-featured-on-time-magazines-davos-issue/

 

[Ryw]

Davos: Trump decries climate 'prophets of doom' with Thunberg in audience

US President Donald Trump has decried climate "prophets of doom" in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where sustainability is the main theme.

He called for a rejection of "predictions of the apocalypse" and said America would defend its economy.

Mr Trump did not directly name the teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was in the audience.

Later, she excoriated political leaders, saying the world "in case you hadn't noticed, is currently on fire".

Environmental destruction is at the top of the agenda at the annual summit of the world's decision-makers, which takes place at a Swiss ski resort.
What else did the president say?

In his keynote speech, Mr Trump said that it was a time for optimism, not pessimism, in a speech that touted his administration's economic achievements and America's energy boom.

Speaking of climate activists, he said: "These alarmists always demand the same thing - absolute power to dominate, transform and control every aspect of our lives."

They were, he said, "the heirs of yesterday's foolish fortune tellers".
He also announced that the US would join an initiative to plant, restore and conserve a trillion trees.

"We're committed to conserving he majesty of God's creation and the natural beauty of our world," he said.

He was speaking hours before his impeachment trial began in the US Senate.
What has Greta Thunberg been saying?

Soon after Mr Trump spoke, Ms Thunberg, the 17-year-old Swedish climate activist who has led a global movement of school strikes calling for urgent environmental action, opened a session on "Averting a Climate Apocalypse".

She refrained from naming Mr Trump but issued this warning to the world's leaders.

"I wonder, what will you tell your children was the reason to fail and leave them facing... climate chaos that you knowingly brought upon them? That it seemed so bad for the economy that we decided to resign the idea of securing future living conditions without even trying?

"Our house is still on fire. Your inaction is fuelling the flames by the hour, and we are telling you to act as if you loved your children above all else."

She strongly criticised politicians and business leaders for what she said were continuous "empty words and promises".

"You say: 'We won't let you down. Don't be so pessimistic.' And then, silence."
The timing of President Trump's "don't panic" message is intriguing.

He's reassuring the Davos rich club about the climate just as the pillars of capitalism are themselves starting to treat global warming as a crisis.

The leading bank Goldman Sachs will no longer fund new investments in Arctic oil or in coal for power stations.

And the boss of investment giant BlackRock has defined climate change as the biggest threat to markets as rising temperatures put profits at risk.

His company manages more than $6.5 trillion (£5tn) of savers' cash.

Meanwhile the outgoing governor of the Bank of England warns that firms which don't change will go to the wall.

President Trump - astride an American economy fuelled by cheap gas - thinks they are wrong.

And he's not alone. Leaders in Australia, Brazil, Russia and Saudi Arabia also cling to economies driven by fossil fuels.

It's politics vs science: the battle of our age.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51189430

 

[PakLFC]

The climate is changing rapidly. Trump is in denial.

 

[Abdullah719]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9sRaQj8zo7U" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>.

 

[cric_man]

The climate is changing rapidly. Trump is in denial.

Actually no one is in denial. They are choosing to prioritize profit over the well being of the planet!

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States has never been as close to Pakistan as it is right now and that he will discuss the Kashmir issue with ‘friend’ Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit.

Prior to a private meeting, the two leaders spoke during a media briefing on the sidelines of the summit being held in Davos.

Reiterating Pakistan’s desire for peace and continuity of its efforts for regional stability, Mr Khan said he would talk to President Trump on the situation in Afghanistan. The US president, while referring to Mr Khan as his friend, said he would speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Kashmir issue. “We’re talking about Kashmir [...] if we can help, we certainly will be helping. We’ve been watching that and following it very, very closely,” said President Trump.

Mr Khan said: “Mr president, it is good to see you again. Yes, there are issues we want to talk about. The main issue is Afghanistan because it concerns the US and Pakistan.

Ahead of meeting with American president, Imran says Islamabad and Washington are on the same page on Afghanistan

“Fortunately, we are on the same page. Both of us are interested in peace there and an orderly transition in Afghanistan with talks with Taliban and the government.”

He said it was always hoped that the US would take part in resolving the issue because no other country could.

The US president avoided responding concretely to a question by a reporter whether he would also visit Pakistan as he was due to visit India. “Well, we are meeting right now. I wanted to say hello,” he said. However, he added, the US and Pakistan were getting along very well. “We have never been closer with Pakistan than we are right now,” he claimed.

The occasion marks the third time the two world leaders have met since the premier assumed office in 2018.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s trip to the United States, where he met his counterpart to defuse regional tensions.

Featured on Time’s cover

The Time magazine has featured Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with other world leaders, on its cover page yet again in a special issue on the WEF.

Other leaders featured on the cover illustration include founder and Executive Chairman of the WEF Klaus Schwab, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Europe’s Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.

The magazine’s cover featured the five leaders sitting on a chairlift with the snow-covered Swiss Alps in the background. US President Donald Trump and young climate activist Greta Thunberg can also be seen sitting together on another chairlift in the background of the illustration.

Keynote address today

The prime minister will deliver a keynote address at the WEF special session today (Wednesday) and also interact with corporate leaders at the Pakistan Strategy Dialogue.

According to the Foreign Office, PM Khan will speak to senior international media persons and editors during a session with the Forum’s international media council. Throughout his engagements at Davos, the premier will share Pakistan’s vision and achievements in the areas of economy, peace and stability, trade, business and investment opportunities.

He will highlight the current situation in India-held Jammu and Kashmir, and Pakistan’s perspective on key regional and international issues, the FO statement added.

The premier is accompanied by FM Qureshi, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, Special Assistant on National Security Mooed Yusuf and Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, while Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Ambassador at large for Investments Ali Jehangir Siddiqui will join the delegation in Davos.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the WEF where political leaders, business executives, heads of international organisations and civil society representatives will deliberate on contemporary economic, geopolitical, social and environmental issues.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1529775/us-has-never-been-this-close-to-pakistan-trump

 

[Abdullah719]

Partnering with peace boosted Pakistan's tourism potential, says PM Imran at Davos

Spoiler

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday spoke at the Pakistan Strategy Dialogue at Davos, Switzerland, where he said Pakistan was considered one of the most dangerous places in the world when his government took over but that "we had decided to partner with peace".

"The first conflict, after the Soviets left Afghanistan, cost us heavily […] it left us with brittle roots and a culture of Kalashnikovs and drugs that were used to pay for the war [and] sectarian groups that did a lot of damage to society.

"Then there was the war on terror which left 70,000 people dead […] Pakistan was considered one of the most dangerous places in the world," the prime minister said.

"Therefore, when my government came into power we made a conscious decision to only partner with people in peace. We decided to not become part of any conflict.

"Secondly, the legacy of the 80s, where we were left with these militant groups still operating in Pakistan, this was the first government that has now disarmed them and tried to rehabilitate them."

As a result of this, the PM said, the first benefit Pakistan saw was in the field of tourism.

"In terms of tourism, Pakistan is perhaps one of the most undiscovered countries in the world. It has one of the oldest civilisations, the Indus Valley [civilization] which is 5,000 years old, and has sacred places for four religions," Imran said.

"We are one of the most tourism friendly countries and all this potential was untapped, especially the mountain areas," he said.

The first impact was that tourism recovered in a year, he said. Referring to Pakistan topping the list of tourist destinations in 2020, the prime minister said: "We believe Pakistan can collect a lot of revenue from tourism."

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Singapore and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

According to an official statement issued by the Foreign Office, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and PM Imran discussed a whole spectrum of bilateral relations that are "marked by mutual trust and support".

The prime minister appreciated Azerbaijan’s valuable contributions, the statement read, including those as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. The premier reiterated Pakistan’s support to Azerbaijan on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, the statement added.

Imran also briefed the president on the human rights violations in occupied Kashmir as well as the impact of the Indian government's unilateral actions of stripping the region of its special autonomous status.

The two sides reiterated their mutual support for each other's national causes and resolved to further deepen cooperation in all fields, the statement read.

The meeting ended with the president inviting Imran to visit Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Imran invited Singaporean businessmen and investors to "increase their footprint in Pakistan" by referring to an improvement in Pakistan's business rankings.

According to the statement, both the leaders expressed the desire to further deepen bilateral ties with a focus on increasing trade and investment.

Imran also informed his counterpart on the human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

The prime minister will deliver a keynote address at the WEF special session today (Wednesday).

According to the Foreign Office, the prime minister will speak to senior international media persons and editors during a session with the Forum’s international media council.

The premier is accompanied in Davos by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, Special Assistant on National Security Mooed Yusuf, Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Ambassador at large for Investments Ali Jehangir Siddiqui.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the WEF where political leaders, business executives, heads of international organisations and civil society representatives will deliberate on contemporary economic, geopolitical, social and environmental issues.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1529870/p...tans-tourism-potential-says-pm-imran-at-davos

 

[shortbread]

Donald Trump to visit Pakistan: FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi

The show is coming to town. Like him or Loathe him it will be some event.

'Hiall, I love Pakistan, we have a great relationship, the bestest relationship America has ever had with Pakistan, ever'.

'The Prime Minister and I get along very well, amazing in fact. He is so tall, the neighbouring one is so short.'

'They tell me the Prime Minister was a great bowler, bowler is like a pitcher in baseball folks, they throw the ball, I looked it up.'

US President Donald Trump to visit Pakistan soon, says Shah Mehmood Qureshi


"US President Donald Trump has assured us that he will soon visit Pakistan," the foreign minister said in a statement issued hours after a meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and the US President on the sidelines of the WEF.

"I was present at the meeting between PM Imran and US President Trump. It lasted for one hour and was very productive," FM Qureshi said. He added that the meeting was conducted in a cordial manner and a full delegation from the US was present.

"PM Imran raised all important issues before the US President, including a request to support Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force and improving the travel advisory the US issues for Pakistan," Qureshi remarked in his statement, according to Geo News.

Qureshi further noted that trade and investment had also come under discussions between the two leaders, and the premier and the US President had agreed that a trade delegation from the US would visit Pakistan soon.

The foreign minister maintained that the Kashmir issue had come under discussion during the meeting as well. "US President Trump said he was concerned about the Kashmir issue and that he would extend his help to solve the issue," Qureshi was quoted as saying by Geo News.

According to Qureshi, the two sides talked about the increasing tensions between the US and Iran and the impact they could have on the region. "The two leaders talked about the onoging Afghan peace talks too," he said.

After his meeting with PM Imran, US President Trump had reiterated his long-standing offer to mediate on the occupied Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India while answering questions from journalists.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/6...visit-pakistan-soon-says-shah-mehmood-qureshi

 

[MenInG]

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that although Pakistan and India are currently not close to engaging in an all-out conflict, international powers including the United Nations and United States "must act" to prevent tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries from reaching a point of no return.

Speaking during an interview with the International Media Council on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the premier said he fears that India might attempt to raise tensions at the border in order to divert attention from domestic protests against two government measures that have been criticised as anti-Muslim.

"You cannot have two nuclear-armed countries even contemplating a conflict," he said, adding that it for this reason that the UN and US must take steps. He also demanded that UN observers be allowed along the Line of Control.

The prime minister recalled that he "came across a brick wall" when he reached out to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after assuming office in 2018, and the relationship deteriorated with India sending fighters jets into Pakistani territory in retaliation for the Pulwama attack in occupied Kashmir.

But "things went from bad to worse" when New Delhi unilaterally annexed occupied Kashmir in August last year, he said, terming the existing state of affairs in India a "disaster" for the people of India and occupied Kashmir.

"I just think that the path which India is going [on] is a disaster for India."

Answering a question, Prime Minister Imran said the close relationship between India and the US was "understandable" because of the former being a huge market for the latter. But he said his main concern is the "direction" in which India is going and that the sequence of events taking place in India bears "striking resemblance" to Nazi Germany.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1529889/n...t-international-powers-must-act-says-pm-imran

 

[MenInG]

In his meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Davos, United States President Donald Trump assured he would visit Pakistan soon, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday.

Spoiler

Qureshi said several "important issues" were discussed in the hour-long "productive" meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Imran. The foreign minister said he was also present during the meeting, which was attended by Trump's "entire team".

Qureshi said the premier informed Trump of measures taken by Pakistan to get off the Financial Action Task Force's grey list and also asked for US support on the matter. The premier also asked for improvements in US' travel advisory to Pakistan, Qureshi added.

Prime Minister Imran also discussed the ongoing human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and Trump agreed that the "Kashmir dispute should have a solution".

Trade was also discussed during the meeting and it was decided that a US trade delegation will visit Pakistan, the foreign minister said. He did not specify when the visit will take place, though.

The premier also conveyed Islamabad's concerns over increasing tensions between the US and Iran and the impact of a confrontation on Pakistan. Both leaders also discussed the ongoing peace talks with Afghan Taliban.

President Trump, in a press talk before his meeting with Prime Minister Imran on Tuesday, had reiterated his long-standing offer to mediate on the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum assembly in Davos.

This was the third time the two world leaders had met since the premier assumed office in July 2018.

On Tuesday, before the meeting with PM Imran, Trump had said that the United States has never been as close to Pakistan as it is right now.

The US president, while referring to Prime Minister Imran as his friend, had also said he would speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Kashmir issue. “We’re talking about Kashmir [...] if we can help, we certainly will be helping. We’ve been watching that and following it very, very closely,” said Trump.

Prime Minister Imran, on the other hand, had said he would talk to President Trump on the situation in Afghanistan.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1529882/president-trump-to-visit-pakistan-soon-says-fm-qureshi

 

[IAJ]

Did Trump just make fun of Modi or the chinese president?

 

[MenInG]

The government on Wednesday pushed back against US president Donald Trump’s latest offer to help in resolving the Kashmir issue, with people familiar with developments saying there was “no role” for a third party in the matter.

Despite India’s persistent spurning of his offers to mediate or assist in handling the Kashmir issue, the US president made another attempt at raking up the matter ahead of his meeting with Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on the margins of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos on Tuesday.

“Our position on the Kashmir issue has been clear and consistent. There is no role for any third party in this matter,” said a person who declined to be named.

“There is nothing further to add,” the person said.

This was the seventh time since July last year that Trump has offered some variations of assistance for resolving the Kashmir issue, including “mediation”, ”arbitration” or “intervene”.

India has consistently pushed back every time Trump has raised Kashmir, with the external affairs ministry roundly dismissing the US president’s claim last July that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested him to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

Ahead of his meeting with Khan on Tuesday, Trump said they would be “talking about Kashmir in relation to what’s going on with Pakistan and India”. He added: “And if we can help, we certainly will be helping.”

The US, he said, has been watching the issue and “following it very, very closely”. Khan welcomed his remarks and described Kashmir as “a big issue” for Pakistan. “Of course, we always hope that the US would play its part in resolving it because no other country can,” he said.

However, the readout issued by the White House about the meeting made no mention of Kashmir.

Trump’s remarks came weeks ahead of an expected visit to India. Experts said they were clearly made with an eye on securing Pakistan’s assistance for the troubled peace process in Afghanistan.

Rajiv Dogra, a former ambassador who served in Pakistan, said: “This is a meeting of interests and Imran Khan knows he has Trump where it hurts him the most – Afghanistan. It’s a beautiful bargain for them and all the strategic theories have gone for a six ever since Trump was sworn in.”

The Indian government has bristled at all mentions of Kashmir on international platforms, including China’s recent effort to discuss the issue at the UN Security Council, as it deals with the fallout of the security lockdown, communications blackout and detentions in the erstwhile state.

Trump’s first offer on Kashmir came on July 22, 2019, during Khan’s first visit to the White House. “If I can help, I would love to be a mediator,” Trump had said, in response to an appeal from Khan. “It...impossible to believe two incredible countries that are very, very smart, with very smart leadership, can’t solve a problem like that. But if you want me to mediate or arbitrate, I would be willing to do that.”

He prefaced the offer with the stunning claim that PM Modi had asked him to arbitrate. The response from New Delhi was swift and unequivocal: “Modi never invited Trump to mediate and India considers Kashmir a bilateral issue to be resolved with Pakistan.”

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...ation-offer/story-nn1Xyuvk4nvNBG7rzqrwqO.html

 

[The_Odd_One]

He may stop by for a few hours on his way back from India.

 

[Bewal Express]

I think Trump is a ***** but if he comes to PK, our Parosis will be going ape.

 

[PakLFC]

Actually no one is in denial. They are choosing to prioritize profit over the well being of the planet!

Trump is saying all is well with the planet. Yes he is in denial.

 

[cric_man]

Trump is saying all is well with the planet. Yes he is in denial.

It is all bluster. There are internal reports in Exxon where they knew about impact of global warming dating back to late 1970s. Instead of changing their business model, they have hired lobbyist to bribe the US government. Trump (or any US Prez) is the extension of that. US military had highlighted climate change as the next major cause on global unrest a decade ago. US Army Corp of Engineers that is responsible of all waterway navigation & levees in the US has been issuing dire warning to update levees across most of the states at reisk of flooding due to rising sea levels.

 

[PakLFC]

It is all bluster. There are internal reports in Exxon where they knew about impact of global warming dating back to late 1970s. Instead of changing their business model, they have hired lobbyist to bribe the US government. Trump (or any US Prez) is the extension of that. US military had highlighted climate change as the next major cause on global unrest a decade ago. US Army Corp of Engineers that is responsible of all waterway navigation & levees in the US has been issuing dire warning to update levees across most of the states at reisk of flooding due to rising sea levels.

So you saying all is well and there is no global warming and all that?

 

[cric_man]

So you saying all is well and there is no global warming and all that?

O bhai, A little bit of reading comprehension. I AM NOT saying all is well. I am saying this anti climate change stance you find with US government is because of the lobbying pressure from special interest groups which is unfortunate.

 

[Savak]

Obama said the same thing. Never came. Bush came for only one day. Clinton lol only for a few hours in which he even refused to get pictured next to Musharraf and then proceeded to lecture our nation in a televised address about the importance of Democracy.

 

[IndianHero]

He can come & stay as many days as he can but he will not be able to reverse article 370 in J & K.

Bhagwaan ki kripa sey slowly but surely we hindus will migrate & will change the demographics of kashmir as J & K will benefit from this move

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that his country’s potential for trade will increase exponentially once bilateral relations are normalised with India and Iran.

“We are hoping that peace with Iran will also open up as a market. Even with India in the region, the moment our relations become normal, the trade potential for the region will grow exponentially,” Prime Minister Khan said while speaking at an event of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meet in Davos.

Khan’s remarks come almost five months after Pakistan downgraded trade relations with India in the wake of New Delhi’s decision to scrap Article 370 that provided special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Khan also stressed that if the governance in the country gets on the right track, then it may help in resolving a lot of issues. “The way our governance deteriorated, in the past, is one of the main reasons why we have not been able to realise our potential,” he said.


“With our strategic location and a young population, if we improve our governance and our institutions, nothing can stop us from realising our potential,” he added.

Showing signs of progress in trade and connectivity projects, the Prime Minister talked about focusing on skill development, empowering the youth, encouraging young startups and entrepreneurship programmes.

“We’ve got help from China under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). We have got China to help us in developing the productivity of our agricultural sector. This is one area where Pakistan can make strides quickly,” Khan said.

“On one side there is China, one of the world’s biggest markets. On the other side Central Asia with its resources and markets to open up once there is peace in Afghanistan,” he told the forum.

The United States, last November, had warned Pakistan that it faced long-term economic damage with little return if China keeps pursuing its giant infrastructure push.

Top US diplomat for South Asia Alice Wells has said the CPEC has heralded as a game-changer by both Asian countries but this would profit only Beijing.

She has said the corridor is going to take a growing toll on the Pakistan economy, especially when the bulk of payments are to be paid during the next four to six years, according to media reports.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...-imran-khan/story-VOv6Zg2PKO6mRDkR6PUnNJ.html

 

[MenInG]

Giving a cricket analogy from the past to bolster his case about his country's resource richness and growth potential, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said they once used to thrash seven-times bigger India and were seen as a force to reckon with.

He said Pakistan was a big force in hockey and so many other sports too, while it has always been a rich country in terms of human and natural resources, but an entrenched corruption derailed the growth story over last few decades.

"In 60s, Pakistan was shining and it was like an Asian role model. I grew up with that hope but we let ourselves down because unfortunately democracy couldn't get grounded in Pakistan. When democracy faltered, army came in...," Khan said here at a breakfast session on the sidelines of the WEF 2020.

Khan said he realised that if Pakistan has good governance it will rise.

"The founding fathers of Pakistan were brilliant and men of complete integrity. They wanted Pakistan to be humane, just society for welfare. But we deviated from that vision. We have to restore the vision for which this country was founded.

"When I was playing cricket, India was seven times of our size but we regularly quashed them. In hockey and so many other games also. We were great," he said.

At the Pakistan breakfast session hosted by Pathfinder Group and Martin Dow Group. Khan also recalled his childhood days and his struggle during initial years in politics.

Khan said he learnt from his initial days in cricket that there is no prize for coming second in the professional world of sports. "There is no sympathy for losers," he said.

"When my mother died of cancer I realised there was no cancer hospital and when I was building the hospital I was told you can't give the treatment free.

"But I ensured 70 per cent got it free. It cost seven billion rupees to build it and annual loss was 10 billion. People laughed at me but I was happy 70 per cent were getting free treatment," he said.

Khan said when he entered politics, again people laughed at him for years, but he never deviated from his goal.

Seeking to showcase Pakistan's economic growth potential, Khan said the country has huge natural resources such as copper and gold.

"I was told just the profit of only two blocks was two billion dollars. We have huge coal reserves. But we falter on productivity.

"When I went to China, I saw their productivity is huge. We have larger number of cows and buffaloes but China has much higher milk productivity," he said.

Terming overseas Pakistanis as one of the greatest resources, Khan said he wants them to come back to work for their country.

"They are best of the minds. We are trying to get them back and some have already come. I feel the highest amount of investment can come from overseas Pakistanis," he said.

On suggestions for the government taking the bill for international conferences, Khan said global expos are productive but he feels there is a need to save money as the government is going through an austerity programme.

" My own visit here is at a fraction of money spent earlier by the governments. I'm cancelling junkets of my ministers and allow them to go only after being totally convinced about productivity," he said.

On gender inequality, Khan said no country can prosper with a skewed development so we need to work towards raising the level of income for women, especially the women at the bottom of the social ladder.

He said a majority of children in Pakistan were not going to English medium schools and that needed to change.

"We want to promote investment, that will create wealth and that would be used for all sections of society. If we can concentrate on the bottom of our society it will help a lot," he said.

Outlining his vision, Khan said his focus is on improving ease of doing business and to provide better governance.

"We are up against corrupt entrenched status quo that ruled Pakistan for 30 years. They are spreading gloom and doom because they don't want us to succeed.

"We also face deteriorating institutions. It takes time to restore them but we are doing that slowly and steadily. In the first year, two-third of our tax collection went for debt servicing... We are also looking at export-oriented growth," he said.

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/t...an-on-pakistans-growth-potential-4850161.html

 

[WebGuru]

Ikram Sehgal and Imran Ch made the arrangements and sponsored the visit making this the cheapest visit for a Pakistani PM to Davos otherwise IK wasn't ready to go because this two day visit was going to cost his govt $400k to $500k.

 

[Mamoon]

Trump said Pakistan and U.S. are now closer than ever. The dholak reception in the summer was not for free.

CPEC will have to die a slow, painful death. Our transactional relationship with the U.S. shall continue. Mercenaries we were and mercenaries we shall be.

Imran’s selection was part of the U.S. agenda in Pakistan. He was selected to kill the economy and the CPEC, and he is well on course.

 

[Slog]

Trump said Pakistan and U.S. are now closer than ever. The dholak reception in the summer was not for free.

CPEC will have to die a slow, painful death. Our transactional relationship with the U.S. shall continue. Mercenaries we were and mercenaries we shall be.

Imran’s selection was part of the U.S. agenda in Pakistan. He was selected to kill the economy and the CPEC, and he is well on course.

Lolol do you really believe what you typed here?

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Informal meet<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMIK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMIK</a> met Angela Merkel German <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chancellor?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chancellor</a>. She invited PM Khan to visit Germany.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImranKhanInDavos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ImranKhanInDavos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Davos2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Davos2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WEF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WEF</a> <a href="https://t.co/benOsEPLDy">pic.twitter.com/benOsEPLDy</a></p>— Azhar (@MashwaniAzhar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MashwaniAzhar/status/1220309440336814082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Abdullah719]

‘Best I could do’: Imran Khan on why he stopped morning newspapers

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said he has stopped reading morning newspapers and watching evening chat shows on TV due to extreme negativity targeted at him in the media.

He also said it was a painful process which Pakistan has to go through to reap the benefits of deep institutional and governance reforms being implemented by his government and asked everyone to ‘be patient’ for results.

“It’s like you want to go to heaven, but don’t want to die. This might be a bad example, so I’ll say you want a tumour to be removed but don’t want the pain of surgery,” Khan said here at a breakfast session aimed at showcasing his vision for Pakistan and its economic potential before the global business leaders as well as overseas Pakistanis.

Khan, who is here to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2020, said his vision is to make Pakistan a “humane, just and welfare society” as was envisioned by the founding fathers of the country.

“I am used to criticism, being in public life for 40 years, but the last one and half years I’ve been hammered in media.

“ The best I could do was I stopped reading newspapers and don’t watch evening chat shows. Problem is my officials do watch them and then tell me what they are saying,” he said.

“All I want to say is be patient. It will take a lot of political will and courage to take on all this criticism and succeed eventually,” he said.

“It is going to be difficult. There is some short term pain and struggle ahead but be assured we have good times ahead for Pakistan,” Khan said.

The prime minister also said that when you are going through reforms and especially governance reforms, it is not possible for results to reflect immediately.

“You can destroy an institution immediately but it takes time to restore it. We have so many bloated institutions and many of people there are without work and also without even the right background,” he said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/worl...-newspapers/story-fWpvfJgoxJDeoSKTKGFuGI.html

 

[PakLFC]

O bhai, A little bit of reading comprehension. I AM NOT saying all is well. I am saying this anti climate change stance you find with US government is because of the lobbying pressure from special interest groups which is unfortunate.

Pressure about what?

 

[cric_man]

Pressure about what?

Do you understand how US politics work?
There are special interest groups that contribute to politicians election campaigns. I term that legal bribery.

Coal & Energy companies will go after you if you say anything against them.
NRA and affiliates will go after you if you even mention gun control.

Look it up

 

[PakLFC]

Do you understand how US politics work?
There are special interest groups that contribute to politicians election campaigns. I term that legal bribery.

Coal & Energy companies will go after you if you say anything against them.
NRA and affiliates will go after you if you even mention gun control.

Look it up

No only you understand how the USA works The point is that Trump does not want to acknowledge the planet is giving us signs. Of course due to their interests the American's only care about co-operative America.

 

[cric_man]

No only you understand how the USA works The point is that Trump does not want to acknowledge the planet is giving us signs. Of course due to their interests the American's only care about co-operative America.

You win. You are absolutely right. That is what is happening.

 

[MenInG]

He may stop by for a few hours on his way back from India.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday confirmed that US President Donald Trump’s visit to India next month would not include Pakistan.

President Trump “wants an exclusive visit to Pakistan which is not linked to any other visit in the region because Pakistan has its own distinct place,” FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqi said at the weekly media briefing. Mr Trump is expected to visit India in February. The speculated dates are Feb 24 – 25.

The US president was invited to visit Pakistan by Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to Washington in July last year. The debate about Mr Trump’s visit to Pakistan got renewed during the recent World Economic Forum in Davos when he was asked about his plans to visit Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi increased the expectations by announcing through a statement that Mr Trump would visit Pakistan soon.

Many believe that Mr Trump’s visit to Islamabad would be linked to progress on Afghan peace process.

Ms Farooqi said that she could not give an exact time frame of the visit, as of now, and that it may take place later this year. “The two sides are working on it,” she said.

The spokesperson confirmed that Pakistan was engaged with the US on the issue of review of Pakistan’s grey list status by Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The issue was discussed during a meeting between PM Imran Khan and President Trump in Davos and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, during the PM’s recent visit to Washington.

“Our constant message is that Pakistan has taken a whole range of steps and made huge progress in implementation of the Action Plan,” she said.

The review of Pakistan’s progress on shortcomings in counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering regimes will be undertaken at FATF’s meeting in Paris in February.

Pakistan stay on grey list was extended for four months at the last FATF meeting in October because of inadequate progress for regaining normal status.

Ms Farooqi reiterated concerns about Indian quest for induction of ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems in the region.

“We feel that such destabilising systems can undermine deterrence and stability in South Asia and lead to an unnecessary arms race. Pakistan has proposed discussions on a strategic restraint regime for South Asia, which includes the proposal to avoid the induction of destabilising weapons’ systems,” she said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1530207/trumps-visit-to-india-next-month-wont-include-pakistan-fo

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Oh my goodness!

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

“ The best I could do was I stopped reading newspapers and don’t watch evening chat shows. Problem is my officials do watch them and then tell me what they are saying,” he said.

IK should tell his officials to stop watching these "shows" as well!

Problem solved!

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Terming his participation in the recently held World Economic Forum (WEF) as the "cheapest" official visit, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that his trip was sponsored by two of his friends and well-known businessmen Ikram Sehgal and Imran Chaudhry.

Addressing the 'Breakfast at Davos', an event jointly organised by Pathfinder Group and Martin Dow Group on Thursday, Mr Khan said his trip cost 10 times less than those of the previous leaders, Dawn news said in a report.

He recalled that his trip to the UN General Assembly last November that cost $160,000 was cheaper than the visits of former President Asif Zardari ($1.4 million), former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif ($1.3 million) and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ($800,000).

Thanking Mr Sehgal, a retired military officer and chairman of the Pathfinder Group, Imran Khan said: "He is instrumental in getting me here. Otherwise, I would not have burdened my government to pay a sum of $450,000 for two nights."

Reiterating that this was an "austerity programme", Mr Khan said the government should rely on the over nine million Pakistanis residing overseas.

"The GDP of those nine million overseas Pakistanis in my opinion is almost 50 per cent of Pakistan's (overall) GDP of 200 million people. So we can use this resource and they can sponsor these things," he said.

Imran Khan said he had also stopped his ministers from going on junkets, Dawn news reported.

"Whenever they say they want to go somewhere, I immediately cancel the trip until they convince me that it will be productive for the country. I don't allow them to go anywhere," he said.

To be able to attend the WEF annual meeting, a person has to be invited - in which case the event is free - or has to be a member of the Forum.

A membership of the WEF costs about $60,000 to $600,000, plus an additional fee needed to acquire an attendance badge, which runs about $27,000 per person to get into the conference

https://www.newindianexpress.com/wo...ed-by-businessmen-friends-report-2094518.html