ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Saturday said that the adamant attitude by India on the issue of Indian Occupied Kashmir could cost it heavy as the situation in the territory was deteriorating.
Talking to a private TV channel, he said the offer of mediation by US President Donald Trump during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Washington was more than Pakistan’s expectations.
He said importantly the matter of mediation by the US was initiated by India, though the Modi regime was now backtracking it following a hue and cry in Indian Congress as well as the political circles.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had made the US realize that Kashmir was a flashpoint which required an early resolution.
About the meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Trump, the foreign minister said the body language of both the leaders was amazing. He said the prime minister made the US President aware that Pakistan was a peace-loving country and desired peace in the region including with India.
He said the US had desired Pakistan’s role for an intra-Afghan dialogue for what the prime minister committed to play his role to convince the Taliban leadership. He said the prime minister had categorically said that the notion of strategic depth was an outdated one as the country was ready to extend all-out assistance for Afghan peace.
He said Pakistan wanted ballot to replace the bullet in Afghanistan and also desired Taliban leaders to join the political process by taking part in the elections.
To a question, he said the extraordinary reception to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa during his visit to Pentagon was a good development.
Asked about the possible schedule of the President Trump’s visit to Pakistan, he said it would depend on his engagements. However, he said another meeting between the prime minister and the US President was likely during the former’s visit to US to attend the UN General Assembly session in upcoming September.
To a question, he said Pakistan would have no objection if Trump intended to visit Pakistan alone or any other country too.
Pakistan does not have any inferiority complex as it has its own nature of ties with the US, he remarked.
NO HOT PURSUIT
Qureshi while paying tribute to the soldiers of Pakistan armed forces martyred by firing from across the Afghan border in North Waziristan and those in Balochistan, said it was time to move forward cautiously and prudently without giving any knee-jerk reaction.
“At this time, we have to move forward very prudently. Surely, there will be some forces wanting Pakistan to react and make abrupt decisions out of emotions. This is not the time to make emotional decisions,” he said.
He was responding to a question by the news anchor as to whether Pakistan should go for any hot pursuit in reaction to the attacks from across the border inside its territory.
The foreign minister said the whole nation was paying tribute to the soldiers who had laid down their lives in two separate incidents and that such cowardly attacks could not deter the national resolve against terrorism.
Asked whether the attacks had anything to do with the regional events like Prime Minister Imran Khan’s successful visit to the US, the ICJ decision on Kulbhushan Jadhav and peace dialogue in Afghanistan, the foreign minister said, “You cannot rule out anything.”
“We have not to level allegations in unnecessary haste too. We are a responsible nation. We go into details of the matter and investigate. We don’t blame the people baselessly,” Qureshi remarked.
To a question about any discussion with the Afghan leadership so far to probe into the attack, the foreign minister said surely, the two countries had military level cooperation and the national security institutions would be in contact or could make contact to discuss the matter.