Pakistan goes anti regime: turns on own PM, sides with Syrian people

In exclusive interview with Al Arabiya on Monday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Abbani Khar stressed her country was against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

“As far as Pakistan is concerned, we have no love lost for any regime, we are not supportive of any regime, and we are supportive of the Syrian people,” said Khar. 

A letter by the 55 country-strong Swiss Mission was delivered to members of the Security Council demanding action on the question of Syria. They asked that the Syrian conflict be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

According to Khar, Pakistan believes that the Security Council is concerned and is paying full attention to the Syrian file. The council wishes to find a solution to the problem rather than propagating the problem she added. 

Pakistan is viewed as the biggest contributor to peacekeeping in the United Nations and is scheduled to speak on counter terrorism at the U.S. Security Council today. 

“This is the most important forum when it comes to the international architecture of how we behave and how countries are supposed to behave and what we are supposed to collectively do to be able to achieve what are common goods and what are common objectives,” Khar stated.

Pakistan highly values its relations with Saudi Arabia; both countries hold close ties on all levels, especially on the topic of counterterrorism.

“Saudi Arabia and Pakistan typically have had very strong ties; this gives us a chance to be able to engage in matters pertaining to the region, on matters pertaining to their immediate region, our immediate region at the international level,” Khar said. 

Pakistan will be holding elections on March 18 amid recent protests that broke out in the streets of Islamabad. 50,000 citizens took the streets objecting to the current government on the grounds of corruption. When asked by al-Hajj if Khar expects her government to win, she said that everyone runs for office expecting to be a winner.