FM Qureshi meets Chinese counterpart in Beijing

BEIJING: A meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese Counterpart Wang Yi is underway at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse Beijing, Radio Pakistan reported.

On arrival at the State Guesthouse, the Chinese Foreign Minister warmly received Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi is in China on an important diplomatic mission in view of the deteriorating situation of peace and security in the region, in the aftermath of imposition of unilateral and unconstitutional steps by India in Occupied Kashmir.

Earlier in the day, FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi reached China on a diplomatic mission along with foreign secretary Sohail Mehmood and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry.

During his visit, the foreign minister will hold meetings with the top leadership of China.

The Chinese leadership will be apprised of the illegal move of the Indian government by revoking the special status of occupied Kashmir and grave violations of human rights in the valley.

Talking to media, prior leaving to Beijing, Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said he is leaving for China to hold consultations with the Chinese leadership on developments arising out of India’s move to revoke special status of occupied Kashmir.

Speaking during ARY News talk show, he said the government conveyed its concerns over the Indian decision to various countries across the globe and invited the Diplomatic Corps to the Foreign Office to keep them abreast of the situation in the region as well.

FM Qureshi had expressed the fear that India can stage a Pulwama-like incident to divert world attention from the situation in Kashmir.

He said India has deployed an unprecedented number of 900,000 troops in the occupied territory.

It must be noted that on August 5, India’s BJP government moved a bill in the upper house of the parliament (Rajaya Sabha) to remove Article 370 from the Indian constitution amid opposition members’ protest.

It was later signed by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, stripping the state of Kashmir off its special status and turning it a Union Territory with the legislature.