Entire world praising Pakistan's peace narrative: FM Qureshi

SUKKUR: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said that the entire world was praising Pakistan’s narrative as Islamabad gave a clear message for peace amid tensions with India, ARY News reported.

While talking to journalists in Sukkur, Shah Mehmood Qureshi demanded the international community and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take notice of New Delhi’s belligerent behaviour.

He said that Kashmir dispute was under discussion since 1948 and Kashmiri people must be given the right to self-determination now.

Pakistan was bound to follow resolutions passed by the United Nations resolutions to the day, whereas India was flying the coop over its implementation.

The foreign minister said that a UN report had highlighted ongoing atrocities in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and even New Delhi’s government was being criticised by its own nationals.

He added that intellectuals and former foreign ministers of India declared Kashmir policy as a failure of Narendra Modi-led government.

A session on Kashmir dispute had successfully organised in the United Kingdom (UK) despite the pressure built by the Indian government while silent parliamentarians in Britain were now raising their voice for Kashmiris, he added.

Qureshi was of the view that the government wanted to pay attention to internal affairs of the country besides reforming its institutions and economy.

“We are not expecting to hear a peace narrative from the Indian government right now. Attitude and tone of the Modi-led government will remain same till elections.” Qureshi said.

“Pakistan wants peace, but it has maximum capability to thwart any kind of aggression and misadventure by its enemies,” the foreign minister clarified.

Entire world has witnessed and acknowledged peace gesture exhibited by Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said.

Commenting over latest crackdowns on proscribed organisations, Qureshi said that the current government has started implementation on the National Action Plan (NAP).

He said that the National Action Plan (NAP) had been passed with the consensus of political leaders but previous governments had failed to implement it to its true context.

The foreign minister asked Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and other parliamentary leaders to input their recommendations for the plan. He, on behalf of PM Imran Khan, invited all political leadership to sit together in national interests.

On the Afghan peace process, Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan desired longstanding peace and prosperity in Afghanistan.