FM reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to CICA process

Qureshi says peace in South Asia will remain elusive until Kashmir settlement

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in the continent.

Addressing the 6th ministerial meeting of CICA through a video link, the foreign minister lauded CICA’s role in providing an invaluable platform for promoting peace, security and development in the Asian continent through dialogue and cooperation.

The meeting was hosted by the current CICA chair, Kazakhstan, on October 11-12, 2021. Pakistan is a founding member of the multi-national forum aimed at enhancing cooperation and confidence-building among its 27 member states to promote peace, security, stability and prosperity in Asia.

In his speech, Qureshi called upon the international community to support the Afghan people in their quest for peace, stability and development at the critical juncture in their history.

The foreign minister underscored that sustainable peace in South Asia would remain elusive until and unless the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir was resolved in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Read Qureshi reiterates support for Kashmir struggle

He also called for a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question through the two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian state.

Noting Pakistan’s conscious shift towards prioritising economic security in order to promote its socio-economic agenda, the foreign minister emphasised the importance of forging development partnerships and enhancing regional connectivity.

Qureshi highlighted the need for bringing the Asian continent on a par with other, more integrated regions of the world for mutually beneficial trade, economic and people-to-people linkages.