Ups and downs to be seen in India till election, says FM Qureshi

F.P. Report

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said that India had extended a goodwill message within one month after exhibiting aggression against Pakistan on February 26.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while talking to journalists in Multan, highlighted that it was a major ‘change’ in the gesture of the neighbouring country within a short period of one month.

The foreign minister said, “It seems that ups and downs would be seen in India until the election.”

“Hassan and Noman are our national heroes,” he added.

Qureshi said that [Prime Minister] Imran Khan had delivered the same message [of peace] on July 26 to resolve outstanding issues through dialogues. He invited the Indian government for continuation of joint efforts for the elimination of poverty.

FM Qureshi said that the Pakistani government was well-aware of difference between craftiness and truthfulness.

However, the foreign minister clarified that Pakistan possessed the right to self-defence against any genre of aggression. He said that Islamabad will defend its territory as it did in past against the [Indian] hostility.

Qureshi said that China has always played an important role in every difficult time as the closest ally of Pakistan. He added that China will continue supporting Pakistan.

He said that Indian wanted to take up many issues in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). However, the foreign minister did not disclose details of the matters to be taken up by the New Delhi against Pakistan.

While commenting over opposition’s stance, Qureshi said that he wrote letter to the opposition leaders as of Foreign Minister with the permission of Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding consultations on the National Action Plan (NAP).

He admitted that he had made a conversation with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif in this regards.

The foreign minister announced that the federal government was ready to fulfil PPP’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s demand for a briefing on NAP to the Parliament. Qureshi offered Bilawal to apprise him pertaining his points of concerns. He said that the federal authorities would give importance to the points raised by the PPP chairman [over NAP] while the national issues could not be resolved through such statements.

He said that the Indian government continued its attempts to isolate Pakistan on the diplomatic front beside the inclusion of Islamabad in blacklist [of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)]. Qureshi underscored the need for national unity.

The minister also offered to hold a meeting with Shehbaz Sharif by himself citing threats to the national interests. PPP has political right to make an alliance with PML-N, he said.

Answering to a question, Qureshi said that medical facilities were being provided to the jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The foreign minister clarified that Islamabad possessed the courage to defend its minorities and the government will definitely defend rights of the Hindu community in their sufferings.

FM Qureshi once again condemned the horrific attack on Christchurch mosques in New Zealand. He said that the attempts to promote Islamophobia had been failed. He added that the emergency session summoned jointly by Pakistan and Turkey had become successful.