Kashmir is not an internal matter of India: Qureshi

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said Pakistan was firm on its stance that Kashmir was not an internal matter of India as he walked back a recent statement in which he had described Article 370 as an “internal matter” for New Delhi, sparking criticism from the opposition.

In an interview with a private television channel on Sunday, Qureshi had said the abrogation of Article 370 was India’s internal matter. Qureshi came under severe criticism from the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which termed it a “historical [sic] U-turn” and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which said Qureshi’s remarks were a “confusion which must be clarified in parliament”.

In a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, Qureshi, in response to a question regarding the recent statement, said: “Kashmir is not an internal matter of India. Pakistan has not taken any U-turn and will never do so.”

“The dispute, which is at the agenda of United Nations Security Council with several resolutions on it, cannot be an internal matter of India,” he categorically said. “There is no ambiguity and Pakistan will continue highlighting the plight of Kashmiris at all international fora,” he added. By revoking Article 35-A, he said, India was distorting the demography of the valley and denying the Kashmiris their identity.

On the Saudi foreign minister’s offering of the Kingdom’s support to help defuse Pak-India tensions, Qureshi said Pakistan would welcome third-party facilitation by Saudi Arabia or any other country for resumption of talks with India.

“Pakistan is ready for third-party facilitation. It is India that has always shied away from it,” he said. Qureshi said Saudi Arabia was the friend of Pakistan and also had business ties with India, which was a big importer of Saudi oil. “If Saudi Arabia wants to play a role [in facilitating talks], we will welcome [it],” he said.

He recalled that the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India was welcomed by the world including Saudi Arabia. The foreign minister confirmed that there were “no formal talks” at the moment with India, however said if India wanted it to make it happen, it “must take the first step forward”.

“If India wants a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan, it has to review its policy on Kashmir and undo the revocation of their special status,” he said.

He called upon India to give relief to the Kashmiri people, who were suffering the 19-month-long military siege and the search and cordon operations, and thus “pave way for a conducive environment for talks”.

On Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the foreign minister said it led to development of a “positive understanding” at both sides that promoting their mutual relationship was need of the hour.

He said besides agreement on investments, bilateral trade and creation of job opportunities, the extraordinary development was putting in place for the first time an institutionalised mechanism with three pillars — security, economic and cultural and soft image — and chalking out who would be leading the respective areas.

“This Saudi visit was different in a sense that it defeated the designs of the elements that were trying to create a wedge between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Now, it is a win-win cooperation,” he said.

Qureshi said under the Vision 2030 of Crown Prince, around 10 million workforce was required in next few years and the leadership wanted to allocate a big chuck for Pakistanis. “In addition to blue-collar jobs, we have to prepare our workforce for the white-collar jobs through their capacity-building at professional sides,” he said.

He said the $500 million Saudi fund would help Pakistan meet its energy needs through development of hydropower projects. He said Saudi Arab had a special place in Muslim community which looked towards it for a leadership role, saying that Pakistan welcomed initiation of talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran to ease tension.

Asked if the Saudi assistance to Pakistan would lead to favours in return, he said, “Pakistan is not paying a price. It knows its own interests.” “Diplomacy is not an instant job, but one has to chip and work on the matters through persistent efforts. Pakistan will protect its interests in any case,” he added.