Revocation of Kashmir status: Qureshi challenges India to seek Kashmiris opinion

ISLAMABAD: In an “open challenge”, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday asked the Indian government to hold a poll among the Kashmiris world over and get their opinion on the unilateral revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

“If Kashmiris around the world reject these unilateral measures as a result of this referendum, India will have to reconsider its decision,” the foreign minister said while talking to a private television channel.

Qureshi said Kashmiris, in any part of the world, stand united against India’s illegal step taken on August 5, 2019, adding India’s announcement to convene an all-party conference on June 24 indicated that “everything was not alright”.

On Afghanistan, the foreign minister said Pakistan as a neighbour wanted peace and stability. He said it could be a matter of concern if the talks with Taliban remained stalled even after 60 per cent of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. “Pakistan is ready for a partnership of peace and will not become part of any conflict,” he added.

Qureshi said Pakistan would continue to play every possible role in advancing the Afghan reconciliation process. In this regard, he added, Pakistan was ready to discuss all issues including reconstruction of Afghanistan and dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees back to their homeland. On economic situation of the country, he said the government took several steps including prioritising economic growth and job creation. He said businessmen, investors, industrialists and farmers also expressed their satisfaction over the budget, calling it “a ray of hope” for national economy.

The foreign minister alleged that the incapability of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government landed the country into the grey-listing by Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

He said the world was recognising the steps taken by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to curb money laundering and terror-financing — the areas totally ignored by the previous governments. Qureshi said there was no justification to keep the country into the grey list.