WASHINGTON – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has delivered the right message in the United States.
He has clearly communicated that Pakistan wants relations with the United States on the basis of mutual trust and respect.
Addressing US Institute of Peace on Wednesday, he said that Pakistan’s sacrifices for peace should be acknowledged. “Safe havens of terrorists still exist in Afghanistan.”
He said that it is improper to accuse Pakistan of problems in Afghanistan. “Pakistan will use all of its influence to bring the Taliban to the table.”
The minister said that Pakistan’s bilateral relations with the US are dependent on the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan and their route to Washington is via Kabul.
“Cutting off equipment and assistance that could be used to combat terrorism, I don’t know what that will help. The ‘blame game’ will not be productive. Blaming and shaming is easy, but where will it get us? We cannot surrender to terrorism. We have to take them on… We have to build on what we have achieved,” he declared.