MULTAN – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said theKashmir issue had been highlighted at the international level due to theongoing indigenous freedom movement and sacrifices of the people of Indianoccupied Kashmir (IoK).A new wave of freedom was being witnessed across the held valley, whichwould not stop till the solution of the Kashmir dispute, Qureshi said whileaddressing a ceremony arranged in his honour here.The minister said Pakistan did not want war with India, however, it did notmean that it would make any compromise on the Kashmir issue. India shouldtake into account the reasons for the new wave of freedom in the IoK, headded.He said the 700,000 strong Indian army could not suppress the freedomstruggle despite all sorts of atrocities. The Kashmiris were burying theirmartyrs, after wrapping them in the Pakistani flag.Qureshi said the incumbent government had successfully highlighted theKashmir issue at all international forums and voiced for the right toself-determination of Kashmiri people. Pakistan also raised the issue inthe House of Commons, he added.Qureshi said the country had attained many successes in its foreign policysince the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came into power.Six months ago, he said, Pakistan’s relations with its three neighbouringcountries were not good. On the western side, a war had been going on inAfghanistan for the last 17 years, which was continuously blaming Pakistanfor its every internal issue.Similarly, he said, the eastern neighbour of India was also using everyinternational forum against Pakistan. There was also tension among the GulfCooperation Council (GCC) states, where millions of Pakistanis were workingand sending billions of dollars to the country, he added.The United States was considering India as its strategic partner in theregion, while the European Union used to level allegations against Pakistanwithout holding any investigation, the minister said.Qureshi said Pakistan was put on the grey list of the FATF and allegationswere levelled that the country was not fulfilling its obligations regardingcheck on terror financing.He said the country was also facing economic crisis. Mismanagement wasrampant in almost all the departments with no structural reforms, which washurting their service delivery, he added.Today, he said, improvement could be witnessed in both internal andexternal fronts. He said Pakistan’s relations with other countries hadimproved.

The world had acknowledged the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan thatthere was not military solution to Afghan issue and a political settlementwas the only way forward. Now, talks between the US and the Taliban were inprogress, 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 hopefor peace in Afghanistan had emerged.

Peace in Afghanistan would lead to immense progress and prosperity in theregion with the beginning of reconstruction process.

The regional trade would also improve further.