Talks only after India restores IIOJ&K’s Aug-5, 2019 status: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said Pakistan will never shy away from dialogue with India but the neighbouring country will have to create a conducive environment for it by restoring the August-5, 2019 status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

He addressed various functions and met delegations in different union councils of NA-156 and NA 157 constituencies, here on Saturday.

The foreign minister said that the impression that Pak-India relations had normalised and trade had resumed was totally wrong. He said the government was very clear that Pakistan would not do trade with India until it reverted the IIOJ&K’s Aug-5, 2019 status. He said the unnatural alliance of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM), formed on the basis of vested interests, had reached its logical end. He said the PDM failed to achieve its agenda as differences between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) were no more any secret now. Those who had left their homes to overthrow the government had returned to their homes with red faces.

The minister said achieving the goals of poverty alleviation and sustainable development were part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government agenda.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that today the world was appreciating Pakistan's conciliatory role in the Afghan peace process.

He said development of south Punjab was a top priority of the PTI-led government. Establishment of south Punjab province would be part of its manifesto and establishment of its secretariat would be the first step for the purpose. He said that for the first time a separate budget of 33% had been allocated for south Punjab. He said that through contacts with prime minister and Punjab chief minister, misunderstanding regarding the south Punjab secretariat had been resolved. He said the south Punjab secretariat would be made fully functional after allocation of powers to the officials there. Obstacles of any kind in that regard would not be tolerated, he warned. Qureshi promised that the south Punjab secretariat would not be rolled back, rather expanded further.