Ready to discuss foreign policy with opposition leader, says Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had no reservations over sitting with the opposition leader to discuss and finalise country’s foreign policy.

Talking to the media here, he said the opposition leader should present his viewpoint over the foreign policy, and the PTI government would present its strategy. However, he added, the opposition must show courage to listen to realities and truth.

Qureshi said consultative meetings were under way at the foreign ministry for making Pak foreign policy effective. He said the opposition leader in the National Assembly raised valid concerns over foreign policy of the country and talks had been held on the specific points earlier. He said the PTI government wanted incorporation of ruling and opposition parties’ viewpoint for making the foreign policy.

He said the country was facing internal and external threats and the enemy forces were conspiring against Pakistan, while the affairs were in process with India and peace talks with Afghanistan were in progress.

The foreign minister strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Kabul and expressed his grief over the death of innocent people in the incident. He said Pakistan had always condemned terrorism because the country had been experiencing the same for long and it sacrificed lives of its soldiers and civilians. He condoled with the bereaved families, saying Pakistan believed that peace in region could not be established until restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Qureshi ruled out mid-term elections, saying the government had hardly completed one year in power, and the demand for midterm elections was illogical. He also ruled out the possibility of an in-house change.

He said some opposition parties members had been involved in massive corruption in the past and they were traditional foe to each other, but now they had united and shook hands with each other to protect their corruption and avoid the process of accountability.

The FM said parliamentarians from south Punjab met Prime Minister Imran Khan under their free will and they had voluntarily decided to extend cooperation to the government. He said the PTI government was committed to creation of fifth province, southern Punjab, in the country and it would make that dream come true. He said all legislators and MPAs belonging to south Punjab were being consulted over the creation of south Punjab province. He said the PTI would soon initiate a process of consulting political parties and taking them into confidence over the matter.

He said establishment of civil secretariat of the new province in Multan was on merit due to its geographical importance. Multan is most suitable district for establishment of civil secretariat, he added.

Earlier, addressing a convention of brick-kiln workers, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the current inflation in the country was not the result of last 10 months performance of the PTI government, but due to corruption of Pakistan Muslim League-N. The opposition members had remained part of previous governments, but they had shamefully been criticising the PTI government performance. The inflation is a result of their 40 years rule, he added.

Qureshi said the PTI government was aware of hardships facing the poor people of Pakistan and making efforts to give relief to them at all levels. However, solution was not possible overnight, he said. The financial team of the government was working round the clock to rescue the country of the present crises.

The minister said the PTI government was aware of problems of brick-kiln workers and agreements would be signed at district level to stop their exploitation. He said brick-kiln causing pollution must shift to modern zigzag technology.