MULTAN/ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Sunday that Pakistan was moving forward with the desire for peace in the region. Peace in Afghanistan was very important, he said, adding that peace in Afghanistan would lead to regional peace.
“Pakistan wants a political settlement in Afghanistan in which all partners are united for durable peace”, Qureshi said, adding that the people of Afghanistan had been facing wars for decades and now, they wanted peace. The foreign minister stated this while talking to different delegations in Multan.
He said that he had discussion with Britain, US and China leaderships regarding peace in Afghanistan. All the countries praised Pakistan’s conciliatory role in Afghanistan, the foreign minister added.
Qureshi said that Pakistan was assisting in process of evacuation of diplomatic staff, international representatives and other foreigners in Kabul. “The world is expressing confidence in Pakistan and appreciating its responsible role,” he added.
He said, “There are some concerns in the current situation in Afghanistan, and we have to be very careful. Pakistan has not closed the border with Afghanistan. We have taken steps regarding border management and trying not to allow anyone to cross the border without documents”.
The foreign minister also warmed the world that spoilers are active to create problems in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the foreign forces from the war affected country. Speaking to The Nation here yesterday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said India did not want peace in the region.
“India is the biggest spoiler of peace in the region. It is playing a dirty game in Afghanistan also. We have warned the world about India’s negative activities,” he said.
Qureshi said some misled elements might play in India’s hands. “The world has to stop India’s spoiler’s role,” he contended. In a delegate statement, FM Qureshi said that peace and stability in Afghanistan will benefit the entire region.
He said the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan are well aware of the situation there and cautioned that the worsening situation in Afghanistan would affect them all. He said that Afghan people had been bracing the devastating impacts of decades of war and they want durable peace.
Qureshi said the positive message from Afghanistan should be encouraged and if the country is left aloof, it would cause negative impacts upon all.
He said the international community is acknowledging Pakistan’s role in evacuation of diplomatic missions of various countries from Afghanistan.
The Foreign Minister said India has been the top spoiler and playing negative role against Pakistan and for this purpose, it has pulled together different terrorist groups to carry out terrorist activities.
He warned that India is trying to destabilize the regional peace and stressed upon keeping a strict vigil over such designs.
Meanwhile, Pakistan categorically rejected Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s terrorism related allegations against Pakistan as completely baseless.
“Pakistan has shared incontrovertible evidence with the international community of India‘s state sponsorship of terrorism and subversion against Pakistan. India uses terrorism as an instrument of state policy. This year alone, India has been involved in terrorist attacks in Johar Town, Lahore, and against Chinese and Pakistani workers at Dasu,” said a foreign ministry statement.
The ruling BJP-RSS combine has a clear anti-Muslim and anti-minority agenda. They target Pakistan with false propaganda campaigns for both ideological reasons and political expediency, it added.
India’s so-called “surgical strikes” and ill-conceived misadventure in Balakot in February 2019 were exposed as based on nothing but lies and deceit. Pakistan restored the strategic balance in the region by retaliating against India in a measured and firm manner, the statement said.
The February 2021 reaffirming of 2003 ceasefire understanding only demonstrated that Pakistan is a responsible State that wants to maintain peace in the region despite irresponsible Indian behaviour. Our desire for peace notwithstanding, Pakistan will resolutely defend itself against any aggressive Indian designs, if added.