Shah Mehmood extends 'conditional' dialogue offer to India, rules out war

By Admin -
Shah Mehmood extends 'conditional' dialogue offer to India, rules out war
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said that Pakistan was ready to hold dialogue with India on all outstanding issues provided that New Delhi agreed to ease tensions in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IoK).

Qureshi made the offer while talking to United Kingdom-based news outlet British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and stressed that Pakistan had always welcomed dialogue with India.

"Pakistan has never refused to negotiate, but India has never created the right atmosphere needed for dialogue," said the foreign minister. He also added that Pakistan had no objection to bilateral talks.

"Pakistan has no objection to bilateral talks, and any third-party support or mediation will also be welcomed," remarked Qureshi. The statement from Qureshi follows a similar comment made by PM Imran Khan in an opinion piece for The New York Times on Friday.

In a shift from official policy on bilateral talks with India so far, PM Imran had on Friday said that talks would India could go ahead only if New Delhi agreed to reverse the illegal annexation of Kashmir.

FM Qureshi appeared to elaborate on the statement made by the premier, outlining that bilateral talks with India hinged on Delhi ending curfew in IoK, restoring human rights, and releasing detained Kashmiri leaders.

"In an environment where curfew is enforced, people are suffering from life and death, gang rapes are taking place, people are being held in captivity, I don't see any negotiating environment," said the minister.

Earlier in August, India had revoked the special constitutional autonomy of the occupied valley and imposed a military curfew in the area following the decision.

Thousands of Kashmiris have been detained since, and nearly 700,000 troops deployed to quash dissent. Allegations of torture and abuse of those detained by Indian security forces have been pouring in.

FM Qureshi ruled out war with India in his interview to the UK-based news outlet, saying that Pakistan had never adopted an aggressive foreign policy and always called for peaceful resolution of disputes.

"The two neighboring countries with nuclear weapons cannot afford the risk of war. People will be destroyed by war and the world will be affected by this as well," elaborated Qureshi.

The foreign minister also talked about Pakistan's relations with the Gulf countries, other Muslim nations, and the United States in his interview, praising the role Pakistani allies have played to highlight the Kashmir cause on the international stage.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At least 11 dead, others injured after train catches fire near Rahim Yar Khan

By Admin -
Image
At least 11 passengers lost their lives and 30 others sustained burn injuries when three carriages of a Tezgam Express caught fire due to explosion in a gas stove, according to initial reports. Meanwhile, firefighters have initiated a rescue operation to extinguish the fire and other passengers are being evacuated from the train to safe places. The affected carriages are being separated from the train. The train, Tezgam, was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi, when a gas cylinder carried by a passenger exploded, leaving several dead and injured. The fire was caused by the explosion in a gas cylinder, confirmed the Pakistan Railways official. According to details, the passengers were cooking breakfast when the gas cylinder exploded. After the blast, the raging fire engulfed two other coaches as well. Fire fighters were still extinguishing the fire as per last reports.
Read more

Three soldiers martyred in terrorist attack on checkpost in Balochistan’s Zarghoon

By -
Image
As many as three soldiers embraced martyrdom and one terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists in Zarghun, the area of Balochistan on Saturday. According to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), an operation was launched in the area against suspected terrorists who attacked a security post. “Troops on the post retaliated readily to the fire raid thereby, pushing back the terrorists,” stated the military’s media wing. In the ensuing exchange of fire, three soldiers were martyred while one terrorist was also killed. The military identified the martyred soldiers as Sepoy Zaheer Ahmed, Sepoy Mudassir Shaheed and Lance Naik Abdul Qadeer. The ISPR stated that the post had recently been established to “check extortion efforts targeting coal mines in the area”. “Based on follow-up ISR effort, likely hideout of fleeing terrorists has been identified in nearby mountains and a deliberate blocking and sanitisation op...
Read more

Legal process to try May 9 planners, perpetrators under army act begins: COAS

By -
Image
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said that the legal process of trial against planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators involved in the May 9 mayhem has commenced under Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act as per existing and established legal procedures derived from the Constitution. The army chief's statement came as he visited Jinnah House and an army installation in Lahore, which were blatantly attacked and vandalised by “politically motivated” rioters, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a handout. The COAS was also given a briefing on events of May 9 dubbed by the military as ‘Black Day’ — the day when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters ransacked and torched military installations across the country following the arrest of their leader Imran Khan in a graft case. Addressing the garrison officers and soldiers at Corps Headquarters, Gen Munir emphasised that any action aimed at widening a gulf between people and the milita...
Read more