Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mehmood Qureshi discussed the multiple issues that he would have to face in his tenure as foreign minister as well as commenting on the opposition alliance’s candidate for president.

The FM said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was putting all sorts of pressure on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to withdraw the name of Aitzaz Ahsan as the party’s presidential candidate.

Talking to the media on Wednesday, Qureshi said that Aitzaz Ahsan’s was a remarkable opposition leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1999 while representing the PPP and his performance then was commendable. “His name must have been put forward by PPP after consultation,” he said.

“If Ahsan’s name is withdrawn it will mean burying ideological politics,” he said, adding that the presidential candidate is a governor of ideological politics.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi also spoke about Dr Afia Siddiqui, the foreign minister said that he considered her to be ‘a daughter of the nation.’ “We have made discussions at all important forums over the issue of bringing her back home,” he added. He also said that he knows what her family must be going through.

Speaking about the possibility of the formation of new provinces, the FM said that at least two-third majority in the parliament was required for establishing new provinces.

Qureshi also said that the PTI government would address the water issue. “Water shortage was a serious matter not only for Pakistan, but for the entire region,” he said, while talking to the media after offering Eidul Azha prayers.