Changing policy on one phone call not Pak-specific: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi Sunday said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s statement that some countries changed their position on just one phone call was not directed at Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference here, he said Pakistan always tried to normalise relations with India and had firm belief that all issues could be resolved through dialogue, reports a private TV channel.

He said Pakistan and India could not afford a war, as both were nuclear powers. “Pakistan has a clear stance on trade with India. It’s now India’s turn to make the environment conducive to dialogue.” He expressed concerns over the ongoing situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and said the people of Kashmir and different political parties had already rejected the Indian government’s decision of 5th August 2019.

He said different international human rights organizations had raised their voice against the human rights violations in IIOJ&K. He said China had good friendly relations with Pakistan for last many decades. To a question about the recent environment conference in the US in which Pakistan was not invited, Qureshi said the US government had invited only those countries which were creating pollution. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was a role model for developing countries regarding his efforts to control global warming and environmental pollution.

He said Imran Khan was the only leader who started the billion tree project by taking up the issue of climate change serious. “I wrote a letter to special envoy to Joe Biden administration and former secretary of state of America in which I have conveyed that Pakistan and America have same policy on environment and both countries can work together on the issue,” Qureshi added.

To another question, Qureshi said various signs could be noticed that Maryam Safdar had intentions to go abroad and the recent statement of Rana Sanaullah reflected the same. He, however, added that the issue of stay in Pakistan or going abroad would depend on the orders of court. He said Nawaz Sharif was granted permission by the court for medical treatment abroad but he seemed to be medically fit now.

He said Nawaz Sharif must come back to Pakistan and trust the judiciary and defend himself.

Answering yet another question, he said selection of Yusuf Raza Gilani as the Leader of Opposition in the Senate became one of the major reasons causing division in the PDM ranks adding that nine parties of PDM were alleging that PPP and ANP were responsible for this division.