Unity only way to defeat India’s plans: Qureshi

Minister asks global community to rise above compulsions, take notice Delhi’s terror

MULTAN:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday stressed the need for the nation to remain united to defeat India's nefarious designs.

"We have to foil the nefarious designs of India by maintaining unity in our ranks,” he said at a news conference in Multan at the residence of PTI leader Qurban Fatima.

“The enemy is planning to create unrest insecurity in our country,” he added.

The minister's remarks came a day after he and ISPR Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar unveiled a dossier containing "irrefutable evidence” of India's involvement in terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

Qureshi urged the international community to rise above external compulsions and take notice of New Delhi’s plans to create instability in the region.

“India was well aware of Pakistan's capabilities. The world should push India to act sensibly as both the countries [Pakistan and India] are nuclear-armed states,” he added.

Qureshi reiterated that India wanted to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project because it knew that it was a game-changer for Pakistan.

"New Delhi has allocated Rs80 billion for terrorists and established terrorist training camps on its soil to disrupt CPEC projects," the minister said.

He added that India also wanted to create unrest in Gilgit-Baltistan after elections whereas the dossier, containing irrefutable evidence of Indian sponsorship of terrorism, had exposed Indian plans.

“India is also using Afghan soil against Pakistan. Therefore, Pakistan and Afghanistan should devise a comprehensive strategy to fight against the terrorism.”

To a question, Qureshi said Pakistan had not made any delay in presenting evidence of India’s state-sponsored terrorism at international forums.

The minister said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an 11-party opposition alliance formed to send the PTI-led government packing, should demonstrate responsibility amid India’s attempt create unrest in the country.

“It is the duty of government to manage the security of the people as well as political leaders. However, the opposition should also understand the enemy’s conspiracies.”

He noted that the opposition was earlier demanding an immediate lockdown and strict adherence to Covid-19 SOPs. “Now, the second wave of the dangerous coronavirus has struck and the opposition should play a responsible role.”

On the opposition’s allegation of pre-poll rigging in G-B, Qureshi said the government had sought suggestions from PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in two different sessions for transparent polls but they did not respond.

“The PTI is in complete favour of transparent elections and maintaining people's confidence in the electoral process.”

To a question, the minister said US President-elect Joe Biden had complete understanding of the foreign affairs of South Asia especially Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

“However, Pakistan will continue to convey its point effectively to the new administration of the US.”

During Saturday’s news conference, Qureshi had maintained that Indian intelligence agencies were supporting terrorist groups defeated and outlawed by Pakistan.

He warned that in the coming months, there would be a resurge in terrorist activities in Pakistan and the focus would be on the major urban centres of the country.

He named two Indian intelligence agencies, RAW and DIA, which were financing, training and harbouring terrorists.

(With input from APP)