-Says President Xi Jinping ‘very keen’ to visit Pakistan
-Confirms both States commitment to CPEC project, highlights CPEC importance
-Rejects India’s claim of J&K as internal matter | Says India has no historical, legal and moral claim over J&K
-Declares political resistance movement gaining strength in IoK Says no change in Saudi stance on Kashmir
By Our Diplomatic
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while sharing details of his recent trip to China, said on Monday that Chinese President Xi Jinping was “very keen” to visit Pakistan and that discussions in that regard had taken place between both sides.
“He (Xi) is very keen to come,” Qureshi told reporters. “Both sides understand that his visit will be of an extraordinary nature. For that there is a need to understand the flux in regional and international situation and also to prepare before his trip.”
The minister said that a “roadmap” was discussed and further interaction between the two countries will be seen in the coming days. The date of President Xi’s visit will be decided keeping in mind the “developments and the Covid-19 situation”, Qureshi said.
His remarks come days after President Xi, in a letter to his Pakistani counterpart President Arif Alvi, said that his country was ready to work with Pakistan to deepen the building of “China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future” and to jointly promote cooperation among regional countries. The Chinese president further said that both Pakistan and China were working to maintain the “momentum of peace and development in the region”.
In today’s press talk, Qureshi also explained that the purpose of his recent visit was to “understand [China’s] current state of mind and gauge their stance on India”.
“I can tell you that I didn’t see any hesitation, their (China’s) stance is very clear,” he said.
The foreign minister also touched upon the relations of other regional countries with India, saying that the impression that Saarc member countries were “leaning towards India” was dissolving. He referred to India’s conflict with Nepal and the recent resolution passed by the latter’s parliament in that regard in addition to “a lack of warmth” in India’s ties with Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said Pakistan and China would “act collectively to protect mutual strategic interests” and vowed to continue the CPEC project (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) despite criticism.
“Our strategic compass is set in right direction and joint efforts would be made to promote peace, development and prosperity in the region,” the Foreign Minister said at a press conference, held here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Minister, who recently returned from Beijing where he held talks with his Chinese counterpart, said “no matter what, CPEC would continue towards the goal of its complete implementation.”
“The CPEC is a well-considered project of regional connectivity, which will not only benefit Pakistan and China but entire region, offering immense employment opportunities,” he said.
Qureshi said his visit to China was also significant in the backdrop of recent India-China military skirmishes in Ladakh, saying, “it was important to have a face-to-face discussion in emerging scenario”.
“China’s stance is loud and clear that besides pursuing development, it is equally important to be vigilant about the regional situation,” he said, adding that the impression of lenience over Sino-India trade and Wuhan Spirit was dissolved following his meeting with the Chinese foreign minister.
On issue of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the Foreign Minister said China categorically rejected India’s unilateral action of August 5, 2019 of revoking the special status of Valley.Qureshi backed the recent joint declaration by six political parties in J&K expressing commitment for the restoration of Article 370 and 350A of the Indian Constitution.
“This statement by Kashmiri leaders shows that India’s efforts to crush Kashmiris has met a big defeat,” he said, stressing the need for monitoring by international watchdogs to expose India’s false claims of normalcy in last one year.
“We reject India’s claim of J&K as its internal matter. The truth is that India has no historical, legal and moral claim over it,” he said.
He mentioned that International Crisis Group, an independent body, termed the struggle of Kashmiris as “indigenous mass resistance” and demanded to revert the move of August 5.
“All Pakistanis, Kashmiris in Azad Kashmir and J&K, and Kashmiri diaspora across the world are openly negating the ideology of India,” he said. He warned the world that India could carry out a false flag operation to cover up its defeat after misadventure in Kashmir.
To a question, he said there was no change in stance of Saudi Arabia on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
He dismissed the campaign launched in social media claiming drifting of the Kingdom’s policy on J&K and also rubbished the “assumptions” that Saudi Arabia had demanded Pakistan to payback loans or stopped the oil supply.“No such decision taken,” he stated, adding that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had a ‘heart-to-heart relationship’ with a shared goal of peace,” he said.
Qureshi announced to hold a meeting with a delegation of Afghan Taliban tomorrow (Tuesday), saying “resumption of peace in Afghanistan is the main goal”.
The seven-member delegation arrives here from Qatar’s capital Doha on the invitation of the government of Pakistan.
He recalled that Pakistan had a “long and beneficial discussions” before the Doha peace agreement was inked between the United States and Taliban on February 29.
China is also supporting the peace process in Afghanistan, he said adding that a request was made to the Chinese FM to send their envoy on Afghanistan to Islamabad for a “coordinated approach”.
Asked to comment over the recognition of Israel by Untied Arab Emirates, Qureshi said UAE, like any other country had the right to take bilateral decisions.
However, he stressed that clear stance on the issue remained the same as endorsed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
“Pakistan cannot be pressured on the issue of Israel,” he categorically stated.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said that the international community doesn’t consider occupied Kashmir conflict as internal matter of India.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the foreign minister said that six political parties of occupied Kashmir had rejected the Indian government’s illegal step of ending special status of the valley by abrogating Article 370 and forged an alliance to wage a joint struggle aimed at reviving the old status of the territory.
This is not something ordinary but an important development as a joint statement issued by these parties bore the signatures of Farooq Abdullah and enjoyed the support of the Congress party, the main opposition party in India, Qureshi said.
He said it is a clear message to the Modi government that the Kashmiris have stood up against the illegal steps of August 5. India resorted to illegal steps to alter the demographic profile of the disputed territory, he lamented.
The economy of Kashmir has collapsed due to Indian action and increasing human rights violations, he added.
FM Qureshi further said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has raised Kashmir matter on every platform for the freedom of innocent people living in this valley.
Kashmiris are still fighting for their right of self-determination, he stated.
The Foreign Minister said Kashmiri people’s struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination has taken a new turn with an indigenous political resistance movement picking up in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
To a question, he clarified that Saudi Arabia’s stance on the Kashmir dispute remains unchanged. He expressed the optimism that the intra-Afghan dialogue will pave the way for peace in the neighbouring country.
