FM Qureshi says Indian reaction to offer of Guterres shows Delhi is avoiding resolution of outstanding issues. PHOTO: FILE
Talking to the media persons after the concluding session of the two-day international refugee summit in Islamabad, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Kashmir was an international issue and India could not enforce its illegal unilateral decisions there.
The UN chief had offered his role as a mediator on Sunday, saying that his good offices could be used for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. However, he stressed that his good offices would only work when the offer was accepted by both sides.
Talking about Pakistan-India relations, Guterres had stressed the need for de-escalation. “Diplomacy and dialogue remain the only tools that guarantee peace and stability with solutions in accordance with the Charter of United Nations and resolutions of the Security Council,” he had said.
On Monday, India, however, rejected the offer. The spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs saying that the there was “no role or scope for third party mediation” and that the issue would be discussed bilaterally.
Talking to the reporters, Qureshi said that India’s reaction showed that it was trying to avoid resolution of the disputes with Pakistan but warned that New Delhi would not be able to impose its unilateral decisions on the Kashmiri people.
Earlier, addressing the concluding session of the conference, titled ‘40 years of Afghan refugees presence in Pakistan, a new partnership for solidarity’,
Qureshi said the participants of the conference – titled ‘40 years of Afghan refugees presence in Pakistan, a new partnership for solidarity’ – applauded the unparalleled solidarity and hospitality of Pakistan and Iran and commended their inclusive policies towards Afghan refugees.
“The conference recognised and highly appreciated Pakistan’s generosity and progressive policies that have enabled millions of Afghan refugees and nationals to access refuge, health, education, livelihood and social mobility without any discrimination.
The participants stressed that the ultimate solution lied in Afghanistan and that voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration is the preferred solution for the majority of Afghan refugees.
The participants also highlighted that to enable sustainable return and reintegration, a prerequisite would be a comprehensive Afghan led and Afghan owned peace process and urgent investment in the priority areas of return.
The conference acknowledged that the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity could yield peace dividends for the entire region, provided that there is a firm political will to implement it.
The conference was attended by more than 500 participants, including the Prime Minister Imran Khan, the UN secretary general, the Second Vice President of Afghanistan and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
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