US-Iran tensions pose serious threat to regional, global peace: FM Qureshi

Qureshi said any attack on Iran will be highly detrimental to the Afghan peace process as well

BRUSSELS (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday warned that the rising tensions between Iran and the United States pose a serious threat for the regional and global peace.

Addressing Political and Security Committee of the European Union in Brussels on Tuesday, he expressed Pakistan’s serious concerns over US-Iran tensions, adding that the situation is becoming a matter of serious concern for regional and global peace and security.

“Sending US combat warship carrying fighter jets to Persian Gulf pose serious threat to peace,” Qureshi said and added any instability in Iran is potentially detrimental to Pakistan’s security given the multiple challenges it can pose, including influx of refugees and presence of extra regional forces in our neighborhood. The conflict will be highly detrimental to the Afghan peace process as well.

He said: "Pakistan believes that JCPOA is a significant achievement and must be preserved, especially when IAEA had repeatedly verified that Iran was strictly adhering to the terms of agreement. We recognize and welcome the EU’s efforts aimed at preservation of the agreement and ensuring the implementation of agreed commitments."

The foreign minister expressed Pakistan s desire to resolve all outstanding conflicts within established diplomatic norms.

Afghan Peace Process

About Afghan peace process, the foreign minister said that the role of Pakistan is evident in front of everyone and even the US Special Representative on Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has also admitted the reconciliatory role of Pakistan. He said: “Four points shouldn’t be ignored while preparing the sketch of Afghanistan’s future.”

He said that instability in Afghanistan directly impinges upon Pakistan’s security and stability. For the last 19 years, Pakistan has been providing multi-faceted support to international efforts in Afghanistan. We continue to provide secure Ground and Air Lines of Communication for the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. "We have been hosting millions of Afghan Refugees for four decades now. It is the longest protracted refugee presence of modern times. On our part, besides several development projects, we have imparted education to some 50,000 Afghans in our universities and professional colleges."

Qureshi said that Pakistan is fully committed to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan that denies space to any terrorist networks; including Al-Qaeda, TTP and Da’esh. As a shared responsibility, Pakistan remains ready along with other stakeholders to do whatever is possible to facilitate the peace process. However, it must be understood that there is a shared responsibility of all concerned.

India’s involvement in terrorist activities

Qureshi went on to say that Pakistan is aware of India’s involvement in terrorist activities inside Pakistan, adding that the growing imbalance of weapons between India and Pakistan is putting the regional stability in the region in danger.

“Pakistan is perhaps the only country in the world that has successfully turned the tide in the fight against terrorism,” Qureshi said and added Islamabad has been pursuing a comprehensive approach to tackle terrorism.

The minister said, "India has frequently leveled terrorism-related allegations against Pakistan. We have said that Pakistan has no issues in discussing “terrorism” with India, as we have our own serious concerns on the terrorism issue vis-à-vis India." We have in our custody a serving Indian Naval officer, Commander Kalbhushan Yadav, who has provided the most incriminating evidence by accepting that he, at the instructions of his government, financed, planned and executed acts of terrorism and violence in Pakistan.

In addition, he said, "Strategic stability in South Asia is threatened by the growing conventional asymmetry between Pakistan and India; pursuit of discriminatory approaches by certain states to supply advanced military hardware and sensitive technologies to India; and adoption of offensive force postures and doctrines by India, which imagine conflict beneath a nuclear threshold. Under these destabilizing circumstances, Pakistan has no option but to maintain a minimum credible deterrence, while aspiring for a Strategic Restraint Regime in South Asia."

Kashmir Issue

He said Pakistan believes in the policy of peace, restraint and peaceful coexistence, adding that the offer of engagement and initiatives for peace with India, our readiness to discuss all matters, including terrorism and Kashmir, and operationalization of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity, are manifestations of our foreign policy vision put into practice.

The foreign minister said the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the single biggest obstacle towards building durable peace and stability in South Asia, adding that Pakistan has been extending its diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, who want to exercise their right to self-determination, guaranteed by the UN Charter and various Security Council Resolutions. India, however, has been suppressing their genuine and indigenous struggle by terming it as “terrorism”, and through brutal use of force, resulting in gross human rights violations.

Qureshi said a new paradigm for universal peace and prosperity is both desirable and achievable, adding, “Pakistan will be a willing and able partner of the international community in this worthwhile pursuit.”

Tackling terrorism

The minister said Pakistan has been pursuing a comprehensive approach to tackle terrorism. The National Action Plan provides the overarching framework in this regard. All elements of national power have been deployed to eliminate this scourge. With the deployment of over 200,000 troops, Pakistan has conducted the largest and most effective counter terrorism campaign in the world.

Our law enforcement agencies and armed forces have demonstrated extreme courage, resolve and professionalism in reversing the tide of terrorism in the country, he said.

Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan firmly believes in cooperative and partnership-based approaches in countering terrorism. We, therefore, value our cooperation and engagement with the EU in this regard. We envisage that this collaboration will further enhance under the new Security Dialogue established by the Strategic Engagement Plan, replacing the existing annual Counter Terrorism and Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Dialogues.

"We also appreciate EU’s counter-terrorism capacity-building support to Pakistan. At our end, we stand ready to share our counter-terrorism experience and expertise, which our law enforcement and armed forces have gained with the EU member states, to collectively defeat the menace of terrorism."