Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday had a telephone call with his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar and discussed matters of mutual interests including the proposed establishment of Border Sustenance Markets (BSMs).
Highlighting Pakistan’s policy to strengthen trade between the two countries, Foreign Minister Qureshi drew Foreign Minister Atmar’s attention towards proposed establishment of Border Sustenance Markets. He underlined that it was a special initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan to boost local trade and economic activity in the border regions. The foreign minister expressed hope for the earliest finalization of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said.
Reiterating Pakistan’s consistent support to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, he underlined that the intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity for the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan. He expressed concern on the high level of violence in Afghanistan and emphasized progress in negotiations which would also facilitate reduction in violence, leading to ceasefire.
During the call, Foreign Minister Qureshi also raised the issue of Pakistani prisoners who had been languishing in Afghan jails over minor crimes. He expressed the hope that prisoners would be released as per the presidential decree, providing them an opportunity to return to their families.
The intra-Afghan negotiations had provided a window of opportunity for return of lasting peace in Afghanistan. Pakistan had always held that there was no military solution of the Afghan conflict and a political settlement was the only way forward. Pakistan would continue to play its positive role towards supporting the Afghan peace process and strengthening bilateral relations with Afghanistan, the press release concluded.
Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that with Pulwama drama exposed before the whole world and Indian Hindutva regime due to its wrong policies had destroyed the country’s secular image. As the minorities in India especially Muslims were feeling unsecured, India continued to commit grave human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), he added.
The foreign minister expressed these views while talking to Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi who met him here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting views were exchanged about the continued grave human rights violations in IIOJK and other matters of mutual interest.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that they through a dossier had presented before the world solid proofs of Indian backing of terrorists in Pakistan. He said that voice was being raised against the ongoing atrocities in IIJOK at important world forums including the European and British Parliaments. He added that the new US Administration was also being kept informed about the situation.
Kashmir Committee Chairman Shehryar Khan Afridi appreciated the efforts of Foreign Minister Qureshi about raising the effective voice against the continued grave human rights violations in IIOJK, atrocities against the unarmed eight million Kashmiris and exposing the Indian aggression.
