Govt inherited trade deficit from previous regimes, says Mehmood Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said the government had inherited the trade deficit from the previous governments, which would take some time to rectify, ARY News reported.

“It will take some time to remedy the economic deficiencies and the masses will have to bear the discomfort for the time being,” he said while addressing a press conference in Multan.

Correlating the ailing economy with human illness, the foreign minister said it also takes some time to recover after a doctor gives a patient medicinal prescriptions. It does not happen that a doctor gives a patient medicines and he immediately gets well, he said.

Read More: FM stresses for boosting trade, economic ties amongst regional countries

On relations with Afghanistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he will visit Kabul on December 15 and discuss with Afghan leadership parameters for long-lasting peace in the neighbouring country.

To a query, the FM said when he last visited Afghanistan, he observed that there was dearth of wheat, while we had abundance of it, so we gifted some to Afghanistan.

He said US President Donald Trump had requested Pakistan for their help in establishing peace in Afghanistan. “Those who asked you to do more, are seeking help now,” he said adding that Pakistan would keep playing its role in for Afghan peace process.

He also said accountability process was being carried out across the board.

The foreign minister said the Sikh community would now be able to travel visa-free to Pakistan.

“Pakistan is opening Kartarpur corridor as a message for peace, which has changed hearts of Sikhs to a great dimension,” he said.

He also said all the political parties were on the same page on Kashmir conflict.

Qureshi said the prime minister had also expressed satisfaction over the performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the first 100 days of the government.

He said the government raised the issue of blasphemous caricatures at the United Nations and also with the Dutch government in a strong voice.

The controversial cartoon contest was cancelled in the Netherlands due to our vociferous efforts.