FM rejects Indian alibi on missile fire

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was trying to sabotage the upcoming meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) being held in Islamabad on March 22-23.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the foreign minister rejected Indian defence minister’s statement on the missile fire into Pakistan as “insufficient” and said that he had written a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take notice of the incident.

Qureshi said that at the 48th meeting of the OIC-CFM Pakistan would act as a bridge to promote unity among the Muslim countries and contribute towards finding a way together on common issues facing the Islamic world. “Pakistan wants to promote unity among Muslims,” he added.

The foreign minister stressed that Pakistan would also seek to address other issues, particularly Islamophobia and hate speech, at the OIC-CFM. “Pakistan believes that the meeting is being held at a crucial time and … we need to make the Muslim voice heard at the international arena,” he continued.

“The proposed theme of the session, ‘Partnering for Unity, Justice, and Development’ fully encapsulates these priorities. We will seek to build ‘partnerships’ across the Islamic world, and build bridges of cooperation to address the myriad of challenges confronting the Ummah,” he said.

Qureshi said that 48 confirmations had been received from the OIC member countries so far. Responding to a question, he said that 100 resolutions on various issues were expected to be tabled and agreed upon during the OIC-CFM meeting.

According to the foreign minister, the OIC had taken a very firm stand on the issues of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “A meeting of the Kashmir Contact Group will also be held on the sidelines of the OIC-CFM,” Qureshi said.

“[In the contact group’s meeting], Pakistan will present observers reports on Kashmir. Pakistan intends to get a ministerial resolution passed on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution will aim at sending a message to those who are silent on the issue of Kashmir despite knowing the ground reality.”

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The OIC meeting will also discuss the humanitarian aspect of the situation in Afghanistan. The foreign minister said Pakistan desired to promote cooperation among the Islamic countries in the fight against corruption.

Responding to another question about the Indian missile firing incident, Qureshi said that he spoke with the UN secretary general the other night and conveyed Pakistan’s concerns on the issue. “We are concerned that no one felt the earthquake of such a magnitude,” he said.

The foreign minister was referring to an Indian projectile that landed into Pakistan territory on March 9. The Indian defence minister said on March 11 that it was an accidental missile fire, and that New Delhi was investigating the circumstances surrounding it.

“I have written the letters to the secretary-general and the President of the Security Council in this regard. I’m trying to make them realise why this incident is hidden from the eyes of the world. I have also raised some questions in this regard.”

Qureshi further said India should provide more information regarding the type and specification of this missile. India should inform the route and trajectory of this missile, whether the missile was connected to a self-destruct system, whether it was fired by its armed forces or non-state actors,” he asked.

The minister also questioned India’s silence on the incident until Pakistan demanded an answer. He added that India’s unilateral investigations were insufficient, warning that the effects of such incident could affect the whole region and the world at large.

“We reject India's response because it is insufficient. Does India realise that the accidental launch of this missile could have started a war between the two nuclear powers,” he said. The minister also said that currently there was no back channel or backdoor communication between Pakistan and India.

He said Washington was aware that there were no direct or indirect negotiations in progress between Pakistan and India, therefore, he added, the international community and the United States could play a role in this regard to ensure peace and stability in the region.

The foreign minister mentioned India’s involvement in sabotaging the efforts of holding OIC-CFM and added that the diplomats at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad were making efforts to “subvert and sabotage” the event. “I know, [what] the diplomats at the Indian High Commission are trying to.”

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)