ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that there would be no talks with India before general elections in the nuclear-armed country next year.

Speaking to journalists after attending the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ meeting here, Qureshi said that talks could be held with India after their general elections.

National polls in India are due be held in April or May 2019. The 543 elected members of the Lok Sabha (the lower house) will be elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.

India leaders have been giving hostile statements against Pakistan as the polls approach. Commentators believe the new Indian government will be ready to resume talks and the election statements were just for public consumption.

In September, India had refused a possible meeting between Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

FM Qureshi said that he briefed the Senate committee on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government’s foreign policy. He dismissed reports that a Christian woman Aasia Bibi, who was acquitted by Supreme Court last month in a blasphemy case, had left the country. He, however, added that the case should not be discussed in public as it was sub-judice at the Supreme Court.

The foreign minister also did not comment on Superintendent of Police Tahir Dawar’s abduction and alleged murder in Afghanistan.

An official statement later said that the foreign minister briefed the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee for two and a half hours on the visits of Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia and China, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, relations with Afghanistan and India and the issue of international non-government organisations (INGOs).

The briefing was given in-camera where the Foreign Minister was accompanied by the Foreign Secretary and a team of 7 officials from the Foreign Office.

The meeting was presided over by its Chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and the members of the committee expressed satisfaction over the detailed, comprehensive and informative briefing given by the Foreign Minister.

Responding to a question, the foreign minister underlined continued commitment of the government to strengthen CPEC and take it to a new, higher level of development given that the CPEC was a ‘strategic, national project which enjoys full national consensus of all political parties and provinces’.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that the Foreign Policy of Pakistan must be proactive and called for taking out-of-the-box initiatives to meet contemporary challenges and in this regard. He said that the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee always functioned above party lines to promote, protect and preserve the national interests of Pakistan.

The Foreign Minister also mentioned that economic diplomacy would henceforth be the top priority of the Foreign Office.

The Committee was also updated on the case of Dr Aafia Siddiqi and in this regard, the Foreign Minister referred to his meeting with Dr Fauzai Siddiqi, the sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.

The senators expressed their strong view that the government should make all efforts for release and repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui to her homeland.

On the issue of the INGOs, the Foreign Affairs Committee directed the Foreign Office to prepare a policy which should be presented to the Parliament for approval ‘since Pakistan, as an important global player, cannot afford to be isolated.’

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed also briefed the committee on his recent visit to European Parliament at Strasburg as well as a Track-II dialogue on Kashmir in London. He said that the time was opportune to internationalise the Kashmir issue and Pakistan must take a proactive initiative to promote the Kashmir cause internationally with the help of the international community and Pakistani Diaspora.

He proposed that on February 5, 2019, the Day of Solidarity with the Kashmiri people, there should be a strong show of solidarity in Pakistan and outside, particularly in London with active participation and support of Pakistani parliamentarians, the House of Commons and the European Parliament.

The Foreign Minister accepted this proposal and assured full support and cooperation of the Foreign Office and the government in this endeavour.

The meeting was attended by Senators Javed Abbasi, Asif Kirmani, Nuzhat Sadiq, Asad Junejo, Sherry Rehman, Anwarul Haq Kakar, Mian Ateeq Sheikh, Sitara Ayaz, Jehanzeb Jamaldini and Secretary of the Committee Hafeez Sheikh.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Qureshi held a meeting with ambassadors of African countries in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan was desirous of promoting bilateral relations and mutual trade with the African countries. Qureshi said that Pakistan was giving immense value to its relations with African countries. He said that promotion of economy was core agenda of the incumbent government.

 

 

No talks before elections in India: Qureshi