Trump recognises Pakistan's fight against terrorism: FM Qureshi

Qureshi is hopeful Trump will speak to Indian leadership over the Kashmir issue

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said despite Indian propaganda, US President Donald Trump has recognised Pakistan’s fight against terrorism during his visit to India.

“President Trump has recognised Islamabad’s efforts to combat terrorism. Pakistan’s measures against terrorism are being hailed,” Qureshi said, in a reference to the US president’s speech in Ahmedabad during his two-day visit to India.

“Our relationship with Pakistan is a very good one. Thanks to these efforts, we are beginning to see signs of big progress with Pakistan,” Trump said on Monday while addressing the opening ceremony of the world’s largest cricket stadium in the western state of Gujarat.

“We are hopeful for reduced tensions, greater stability and the future of harmony for all of the nations of South Asia,” the US president had said, adding that the US is working with Pakistan in a “very positive way” in the fight against terrorism.

Welcoming the US president’s statement, Qureshi said Trump also has reservations over the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir which has been under continuous lockdown since August 5, 2019.

The foreign minister expressed hope that the US president would talk to the right-wing Indian leadership regarding the situation in the disputed Himalayan valley.

Referring to the ongoing violent protests in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Qureshi said the US president has himself seen the situation now as thousands protest for and against the new controversial citizenship law introduced by the BJP government in December last year.

Qureshi said peace in the region could only be obtained once the longstanding Kashmir dispute is solved. “The occupied Kashmir has been facing lockdown for 206 days. New Delhi has further complicated this issue by his recent step [to illegally annex the disputed valley],” he added.