MULTAN – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday said thetrust deficit between Pakistan and America would be bridged as the twocountries were important for each other.
He said, “There is a long history of diplomatic relations between Pakistanand America. There have been ups and downs.” The sanctions were imposed onPakistan at a time when “we have been the most allied of the allies.”
He was talking to reporters here at the residence of late Member of thePunjab Assembly Ghulam Abbas Khakhi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf afteroffering condolence with his family. The minister said US Secretary ofStates Michael Richard Pompeo would visit Pakistan soon.
He not only wanted to listen to the US point of view but would also conveythat of Pakistan too, he added. “Let’s see how it proceeds from there”, hesaid. The US wanted peace in Afghanistan which was also Pakistan’s wish.
Qureshi said the US was an economically, technologically and militarilyworld power and no one could deny that.
Pakistan had paid a lot in the war against terrorism in the form ofsacrifices of lives and financially, and it had always stood by the US, headded.
To a question about Indian ceasefire violations on the Line of Control,Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the violations were not in favour of both thecountries. Confidence building measures (CBMs) existed at the LoC regardingceasefire, which should be observed.
“Is there any solution to issues faced by the two countries thandialogues?” he questioned. Pakistan and India were facing water, povertyand climatic changes issues which had created troubles for them.
“If we don’t resolve the core issues, including Kashmir, who else willsolve it,” Qureshi said and added that India should review its agitationalpolicies.