India must wait for response if it tries any misadventure: FM Qureshi

He said negotiations between Afghan groups are also essential for lasting peace in Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said that Pakistan does not want to be war frenzy, however, Pakistan would respond to India’s “act of aggression” of violating the de facto border between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Talking to media in Islamabad on Monday, he said that some forces were obstructing the peace process in Afghanistan, adding that one of the culprits is in our neighborhood. 

“Pakistan have information that India is planning to conduct a false flag operation in (IOJ&K) for which it is finding an excuse to accomplish its nefarious designs. In case, it repeats mistake like Feb 2019, it should wait for befitting response from us, ” he said.

” India can do anything in Held Kashmir to divert world’s attention from its deteriorating economy.We have informed UN General Secretary, P5 countries besides raising this issue on other forums,” Qureshi explained.

Action should speak louder than words, he said adding that Pakistan did not like jingoism as it is a peace loving country.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said it was hoped that the Indian government would change its behaviour towards the IOJ&K after the coronavirus outbreak and the Kashmiris would be given access to hospitals and medicines, but unfortunately it did not extend any relief to them.

India, he said, was accomplishing its design even after the global pandemic. Associating the spread of coronavirus with Indian Muslims was ridiculous which was even lambasted by Arab countries too, he added.

The foreign minister said that an agreement has been reached between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, adding that negotiations between Afghan groups are also essential for lasting peace in Afghanistan.

“The process of release of prisoners in Afghanistan must be accelerated,” he said and added a conducive environment is needed for peace, in which everyone has a role to play.

Qureshi went on to say that more than 100,000 Pakistanis including students and labourers stranded abroad have contacted to return home.

To a question, he said the government intended to extend relief to the farmers with reduction in fertilizer prices. Lowering the prices of petrol and diesel would benefit the sector.

The federal cabinet would approve a relief package of Rs 65 billion on Tuesday for the farmers as agriculture was the only sector which could steer the county out of the COVID-19 issue, he added.

Answering another question, Qureshi ruled out the rolling back of 18th Constitutional Amendment, saying the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not enjoy a two thirds majority neither in the National Assembly nor in the Senate. “How can the PTI roll back 18th Amendment?” he asked. “We want to sit with the opposition for deliberations on its improvement.”

To another question, the foreign minister said the Pakistan peoples Party was the party of federation because Benazir Bhutto had always spoken about the federation. “Charon soboan ki zungeer, Benazir, Benazir” was a famous slogan, he recalled.

However, now the PPP was speaking about provincialism, he said, and urged the PPP leadership to play the “Pakistan card” and not the “Sindh card” on the coronavirus as it was a national crisis.

The foreign minister said a large number of Pakistanis were stranded in foreign countries and flights were being operated to bring them back to home.

As regards the the forensic audit being carried out by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) about the wheat and flour issues, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan had made no compromise on the report. The FIA had completed the report after its request for three more weeks was approved by the Federal Cabinet. The report would be presented to the PM soon, he added.