ISLAMABAD, July 31: President Gen Pervez Musharraf reiterated on Thursday that Pakistan would continue making its contribution to the war on terrorism in its own interest and in pursuance of its strategic objectives.

Presiding over the concluding session of a Pakistani ambassadors’ conference, President Gen Musharraf called upon them to project Pakistan as a pivotal state in the region that was engaged in the task of shaping a tolerant society, seeking peace with neighbours and making strides in the economic sphere.

The four-day conference ended on a upbeat note with the president urging the ambassadors to step up economic diplomacy.

The president outlined his vision of Pakistan becoming a modern, moderate and democratic Islamic state. Pointing to “the recent positive macroeconomic indicators across the board”, he said Pakistan was fast becoming a success story and a hub of economic and commercial activity, offering new opportunities for investment.

Reminding the envoys of the multi-faceted role they have to play, he told them to continue to articulate effectively Pakistan’s position on national security issues.

In his call for a shift from traditional diplomacy to economic diplomacy, he said there was a need for increasing commercial as well as cultural diplomacy.

He made it clear that Pakistan would not allow the Kashmir dispute to be sidelined in its dialogue with India.

He emphasized that Pakistan would pursue the process of engagement with India on the basis of sovereign equality.

Kashmir was the core issue and therefore, he added, Pakistan would continue its efforts for a peaceful solution of the issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Gen Musharraf said Pakistan would continue to strive for a peaceful and stable neighbourhood aimed at creating an environment for collective development and prosperity.

He reiterated Pakistan’s strong and unqualified support for the Bonn process, the government of President Hamid Karzai, and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.

He also underlined Pakistan’s strong desire to forge closer ties with the Central Asian states.

He said Pakistan enjoyed good relations with major powers and regions of the world, notably the US, Europe, China, Japan, Russia, the Asean countries and the Muslim world. Pakistan would work towards consolidating and expanding these ties, he added.

Later, the president engaged with the participants in a two-hour question and answers session and fielded questions on global and regional developments.

Earlier, foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar presented a set of recommendations to the president. The recommendations, covering the entire spectrum of the foreign policy, were formulated by the conference.

Dawn learnt that the recommendations largely focused on Pakistan’s relations with India, the US and the Muslim countries, and commercial diplomacy.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in his presentation outlined a plan of action for the foreign policy in years to come.

Inter-Service Intelligence chief General Ehsanul Haq attended the proceedings as an observer.