Putting Kashmir issue behind scene: Qureshi, opposition leaders trade barb in NA

ISLAMABAD: A verbal clash erupted between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and opposition members when the two sides accused each other of putting the Kashmir issue behind the scene.

Responding to points of order from the opposition members, the foreign minister said the opposition parties highlighted their vested interests and staged sit-in while totally ignoring the Kashmir issue saying they did not speak a single word on Kashmir in the last two months.

The foreign minister said the PML-N was also busy in taking up health problems of the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The remarks invited protest from opposition members particularly those belonging to PML-N and JUI-F terming remarks of the minister against the facts.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi went on to say that the incumbent government in 15 months took such steps to effectively highlight Kashmir issue, which were not taken in the last 40 years.

On that PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal, who kicked off debate on Kashmir issue, said the Indian government dare not annex Occupied Kashmir in his party’s tenure.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while assuring that the government would never show any weakness on Kashmir issue, advised the opposition not to minimise government efforts in this connection. “With efforts of the opposition parties, the present government took effective measures to highlight Kashmir issue, which have no precedence in the past,” he said.

He rejected an impression that the international community did not accept stance of Pakistan on Kashmir saying US President Trump admitted Kashmir as disputed territory while top leadership of Turkey, Iran, Malaysia and France also took strong position on the vital issue. “We took up Kashmir issue with leadership of 70 countries,” he said.

The minister also invited the opposition leaders to visit Foreign Office and give their suggestions in this connection. “We are open to suggestions and I invite the opposition parties at Foreign Office over a cup of tea for this purpose,” he said.

The minister said since 1965, it was for the first time that the Security Council of the United Nations took up Kashmir issue amid opposition from India.

Ahsan Iqbal called upon the PTI government to declare diplomatic emergency on Kashmir saying Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi should undertake visits of capitals of important countries while envoys should also be dispatched to other countries as a part of effective and extraordinary diplomacy.