DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to play a proactive role in promoting peace in the region, adding that it was incumbent on the UN Security Council to ensure early implementation of its commitment as reflected in the resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.

Nawaz met the UN secretary general in Tajikistan on the sidelines of the International Conference on the Implementation of the International Decade for Action “Water for Life,” 2005-15.

Talking about Indo-Pak ties, Nawaz said there appeared to be no acknowledgement of the initiatives he had taken to promote a dialogue process between the two countries. In fact, recent statements by the Indian leadership had been deeply disappointing, he said.

The prime minister told Ban Ki-moon that Pakistan had a strong and steadfast relationship with the UN and appreciated his leadership in advancing key objectives of peace and development.

He said support for peacekeeping missions was a strong element of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Pakistan has been among the top contributors to UN’s peacekeeping operations and would continue to respond to such calls, the premier said.

Talking about Pakistan’s counter-terrorism measures, the prime minister said the country had formulated a 20-point National Action Plan and had adopted a policy of unflinching dedication towards countering this menace.

The prime minister reiterated to the UN secretary general Pakistan’s overriding foreign policy priority of a peaceful neighborhood, which he said was vital for the wellbeing and prosperity of the entire region. To this end, he said he had reached out to all of Pakistan’s neighbors, including India and Afghanistan.

Nawaz recalled his high-level meetings with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and said that their close cooperation had contributed to trust and confidence between the two states.

The two countries were also closely cooperating on special measures to strengthen bilateral ties in various spheres including economy, trade and counter terrorism, Nawaz added.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi was also present in the meeting.