Pakistan's rise at the international diplomatic front under PTI government
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MULTAN - Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said the Kashmir issue had been highlighted at the international level due to the ongoing indigenous freedom movement and sacrifices of the people of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK). A new wave of freedom was being witnessed across the held valley, which would not stop till the solution of the Kashmir dispute, Qureshi said while addressing a ceremony arranged in his honour here. The minister said Pakistan did not want war with India, however, it did not mean that it would make any compromise on the Kashmir issue. India should take into account the reasons for the new wave of freedom in the IoK, he added. He said the 700,000 strong Indian army could not suppress the freedom struggle despite all sorts of atrocities. The Kashmiris were burying their martyrs, after wrapping them in the Pakistani flag. Qureshi said the incumbent government had successfully highlighted the Kashmir issue at all international forums and voiced for the right to self-determination of Kashmiri people. Pakistan also raised the issue in the House of Commons, he added. Qureshi said the country had attained many successes in its foreign policy since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came into power. Six months ago, he said, Pakistan's relations with its three neighbouring countries were not good. On the western side, a war had been going on in Afghanistan for the last 17 years, which was continuously blaming Pakistan for its every internal issue. Similarly, he said, the eastern neighbour of India was also using every international forum against Pakistan. There was also tension among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, where millions of Pakistanis were working and sending billions of dollars to the country, he added. The United States was considering India as its strategic partner in the region, while the European Union used to level allegations against Pakistan without holding any investigation, the minister said. Qureshi said Pakistan was put on the grey list of the FATF and allegations were levelled that the country was not fulfilling its obligations regarding check on terror financing. He said the country was also facing economic crisis. Mismanagement was rampant in almost all the departments with no structural reforms, which was hurting their service delivery, he added. Today, he said, improvement could be witnessed in both internal and external fronts. He said Pakistan's relations with other countries had improved.
The world had acknowledged the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan that there was not military solution to Afghan issue and a political settlement was the only way forward. Now, talks between the US and the Taliban were in progress, he added. Qureshi said peace and stability in Afghanistan was important for Pakistan. Some elements wanted to damage the peace process, however, a ray of hope for peace in Afghanistan had emerged.
Peace in Afghanistan would lead to immense progress and prosperity in the region with the beginning of reconstruction process.
The regional trade would also improve further.
