India invited to attend SAARC moot virtually

FM says because of Indian obduracy the forum failed to realise its true potential

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Monday reiterated its invitation to India and other members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for the next summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad, saying New Delhi can join the moot virtually if it does not want to be present in-person.

"Pakistan considers SAARC as important forum. We are willing to host the 19th SAARC summit and if India has any issue in attending the summit in-person it can join the conference virtually," Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters here to brief them about the major developments and achievements of Pakistan on the foreign policy front.

Islamabad was to host the SAARC summit in November 2016 but because of tensions between the two countries India had boycotted the conference. Since then the summit could not take place as under SAARC charter meeting of the heads of government cannot be held if any of the member stays away.

Read: Qureshi reiterates support for Kashmir struggle

The SAARC secretary General recently visited Islamabad where according to FM Qureshi Pakistan expressed its readiness to host the summit. "If Indian cannot attend the summit in person in Islamabad at least it should not stop other members," the foreign minister said reiterating invitation to all members for the next summit.

Qureshi said because of Indian obduracy the SAARC failed to realise its true potential.
He said despite Indian intransigence the SAARC did play an active role in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

On bilateral relationship with India, Qureshi said unfortunately, the prospects of durable peace and stability in our region, and the great potential for economic development and regional cooperation have been held hostage by the hegemonic and hostile behaviour of India, whose BJP-RSS Hindutva inspired leadership has adopted a particularly irresponsible and politically motivated anti-Pakistan posture, and a patently anti-Muslim approach at home.

"India's unilateral and illegal actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since 5 August 2019 aimed at undermining the status of the disputed territory, perpetuating its illegal occupation, and altering its demographic structure, and the unabated widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and state-terrorism perpetrated against the innocent Kashmiris have further vitiated the environment and threatened international peace and security," he said.

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The FM stressed that Pakistan desired friendly relations with all its neighbours including India. "But as the prime minister has said, the onus is on India to take necessary steps to create an environment conducive for dialogue. Resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute is a prerequisite for durable peace and stability in South Asia."

Regrettably, amidst the worsening situation in IIOJK, the persecution of Kashmiri people and leaders has continued unabated, Qureshi said."Almost the entire Kashmiri leadership is either detained or under house arrest on trumped-up charges. The world was witness to the highly reprehensible and callous manner in which the Indian occupation acted following the death of iconic Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani in Indian custody."

Fencing controversy

Responding to a question, Qureshi said Pakistan was using diplomatic channels to resolve the controversy over the fencing along the Pak-Afghan border.

There have been repeated incidents in recent weeks in which Taliban soldiers uprooted portion of fencing Pakistan has erected as part of its efforts to secure the border and regulate movement of people.

A Taliban defence ministry spokesperson said fencing divided families living on both sides of the border.
But Qureshi tried to play down the controversy saying certain "miscreants" were behind these incidents. He said Pakistan would react keeping in view its national interests. He made it clear that fencing of the border would continue.

Reviewing the 2021 developments on foreign policy front, the FM noted that Pakistan played a pivotal role in the safe evacuation of over 80,000 individuals across 42 nationalities, consisting of diplomats, international NGO workers, media and many, many others. Our officers worked day and night, to make this happen.

"This is what a responsible nation does. We played our part.  Prime Minister Imran Khan has pledged Rs5 billion aid to Afghanistan, the first consignments of which have already started," he said.Qureshi observed that Pakistan consistently advocated that there was no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan and no alternative other than a negotiated political settlement.

To another question, he said Pakistan was opposed to the bloc politics and hence would not join any camp while referring to the US-China rivalry.

He reiterated the agenda of Pakistan for 2022 was to seek peace within and outside saying Islamabad desired friendly ties with all its neighbours including India.