Qureshi Qatari FM, discuss virus situation

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday held a telephonic conversation w-ith Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and discussed the situation resulting from the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Qureshi said that Pakistan was deploying all available resources to curtail the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and reduce its impact.

He appreciated the timely measures taken by the Qatari government which had helped contain the disease in Qatar.

The foreign minister apprised his Qatari counterpart about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call for debt relief and restructuring to enable the developing countries to free up resources to combat the disease and shore up economies.

Qureshi also appreciated the role played by the State of Qatar in facilitating the peace process in Afghanistan.

The foreign minister expressed deep concern over the situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K), where the coronavirus had spread and fatalities were being reported.

Continued restrictions on movement and communication were imperiling the health and safety of eight million Kashmiris, he added.

He called for immediate lifting of all restrictions to allow dissemination of information and unfettered supply of medicines, and other essentials.

The foreign minister also called for immediate release of all Kashmiri leaders, youth and civil society members, who had been languishing in Indian jails and were at heightened risk of contracting the infection.

The Qatari foreign minister thanked Shah Mahmood Qureshi for his call and highlighted the steps being taken by Qatar to contain the pandemic.

He underscored the importance of learning from the experience of the countries which had managed to control the disease successfully.

Al Thani described Pakistan’s call for debt restructuring for developing countries as an important and timely initiative and stated that Qatar was supportive of it.

The two ministers underscored the need for joint efforts to deal with the current challenges and agreed to stay closely engaged on all issues of common interest.

Also, in a telephonic conversation with Secretary General SAARC Esala Ruwan Weerakoon, he said being a founding member, Pakistan remained committed to the SAARC process and considered it an important platform for regional cooperation.

Congratulating Weerakoon on assuming responsibilities as the 14th Secretary General of SAARC, the Foreign Minister assured him of Pakistan’s full support and expressed the hope that under his experienced stewardship, the SAARC process would be able to move forward.

The Foreign Minister and the Secretary General discussed the challenges faced by South Asian States in the face of the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The need for joint efforts to deal with the situation was emphasized by both sides.