All stakeholders should be unanimous on national security: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that all should have unanimity on national security and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari should not cross the redline.

He expressed these views while talking to media persons here on Sunday. To a question about Bilawal Bhutto’s statements on security issues, Qureshi said everyone should take care about the red lines. He said all stakeholders should unite and adopt unanimity in the national interest.

He said that he opposed renaming the Benazir Bhutto Income Support Programme (BISP) and invited the opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for developing a consensus over security issues.

Talking to the media here on Sunday, he said he was not in favour of any change in the name of Benazir Bhutto Income Support Programme. He said the programme was named after former premier Benazir Bhutto and there was no problem in its name. He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s allied parties in Sindh were expressing their reservations about the PPP-led Sindh government in their meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan and they had suggested renaming the programme. They expressed their reservations over appointment of Sindh IGP and chief secretary in violation of merit and release of Rs200 million to each PPP MPA in Sindh. They also complained about irregularities in the BISP funds distribution.

He admitted there would be inflation in the wake of increase in dollar price, but added that it was important to note who was responsible for the dollar appreciation against Pak Rupee. Who prevented rise in dollar price in the past? The PTI was bearing the brunt of increase in dollar price now, he added.

He said that creation of south Punjab province was not a slogan, but it was the basic need and demand of the people of the region. It is hard to administrate a province with 120 million population, he added.

Criticising PPP-PML-N alliance in PP-218 Multan-VIII, he said both the parties were fighting against each other six months ago. He said voters strongly disliked both these parties.

Qureshi paid rich tribute to outgoing foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua. He said that he had been working with her for the last seven months and learnt a lot from her. She would retire on April 16, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the appointment of seasoned diplomat Sohail Mahmood as the new foreign secretary. He said he is currently serving as Pakistan high commissioner in New Delhi and he is a seasoned diplomat.

The foreign minister said National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is an independent body and the government had no role in its proceedings. Later, Shah Mehmood Qureshi attended Chehlum of mother of Sibtain Raza Lodhi. He also visited the Kidney Centre where Dr Imran Zaidi received him and he inquired after patients and asked them about the facilities being provided to them.

Agencies add: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday the incumbent government was not in favour of any deal or relaxation as it strongly believed that things should move forward as per law. Regarding the recently launched ‘Ehsas’ programme by the PTI government, Qureshi hoped that it would serve the poor in an amicable way.