US proposed bill an attempt to pass the buck: FM

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said the recent proposed bill moved in the US Senate seeking assessment of Pakistan’s role in the present Afghanistan situation was “an attempt to pass the buck” and stressed that Pakistan had sufficient reasons to defend the course.

“Pakistan will protect its interests and defend its position. The US has to understand the role played by Pakistan in facilitating the peace process,” Qureshi said at a joint presser with the visiting foreign minister of Denmark Jeppe Kofod.

He was responding to a question over the recent bill presented in the US Senate that sought to assess Pakistan’s role before and after the fall of Kabul to the reigns of the Afghan Taliban. The minister said scape-goating Pakistan would in fact mean overlooking the ground realities. Qureshi said Pakistan would not ignore the implications of the proposed bill on Pakistan, adding that “we are cognisant and can explain”.

He pointed out that the bill did not have a bipartisan understanding over it and was presented by a group of Republican senators, who were even critical of some US policies and were also against the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Qureshi said the upward trajectory of Pakistan-Denmark relations was discussed with an aim to further strengthen cooperation in diverse areas, particularly trade, renewable energy and parliamentary exchanges.

He welcomed the signing of the Green Partnership agreement with Denmark, which he said would give Pakistan an opportunity to make improvements in the sector. He mentioned that Denmark had included Pakistan in the Danish Energy Transition Initiative.

On Afghanistan, he said, the Danish foreign minister was briefed about Pakistan’s facilitating role in the peace process. Qureshi mentioned taking up with his Danish counterpart the matter of visa categorisation for Pakistan, with a request to revise the travel advisory.

He thanked the government of Denmark for its support on GSP Plus status for Pakistan. He said he apprised the Danish FM of the concrete steps taken by Pakistan in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and on how Denmark could play its role in getting Pakistan out of the grey list.

Danish foreign minister to a question about recognition of the government of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said “we are not going to recognise the Taliban government”. He said his country would be looking to see whether the Taliban match their words with their deeds on several issues; including protection of women and minority rights. He however noted that helping the Afghans was also of paramount importance to ensure that there was no humanitarian crisis.

He pointed out that Pakistan was a very important country in the region. He noted that Pakistan and Denmark enjoyed 70 years of diplomatic ties and were working together for climate change, sustainable trade and renewable energy. He said his country was considering employing more staff at their embassy in Pakistan sor undertaking projects relating to energy cooperation. He also lauded Pakistan for his drive to plant trees and for the protection of the environment.

When questioned about the gross human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), Danish foreign minister said his country supported a peaceful diplomatic dialogue.

"We are fully in line with the EU and the UN to advocate for peaceful and diplomatic dialogue on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. This is what we want to see and what we respect,” he responded. Earlier Qureshi had shared with Koford a Dossier which has documented the continuing atrocities and war crimes committed by Indian forces in IIOJ&K.