Pakistan to win Kulbhushan case in ICJ, says Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said he is hopeful that Pakistan will win the case against Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Talking to journalists in Multan after offering Eid prayer at the shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya and addressing ceremonies on the second day of Eid, the foreign minister said that Pakistan had collected sufficient and concrete evidences against Jadhav and Pakistan would effectively plead its point of view in the case.

He said that though the Pakistan Tehrik-e-lacked two-thirds majority in the parliament for creation of south Punjab province, but the party would make utmost efforts to create the province with consensus. He announced that the PTI would approach to the Pakistan People’s Party and other parties for creation of the south Punjab province. He expressed hoped that the PPP would support the PTI for creation of the province. Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi welcomed PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto and Qamar Zaman Kaira’s statements on the issue of new province, terming them positive.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the PTI had nominated Dr Arif Alvi as its presidential candidate and surely he would be the next president of Pakistan. He claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was pressurising the PPP to surrender from its presidential candidate Aitzaz Ahsan, which the PPP had announced after thorough consultation. He appreciated his role as the opposition leader in the Senate. He said that if the PPP withdrew Atizaz’s name, it would bury the politics of ideology.

About the Kashmir issue, Qureshi said that Pakistan wanted to the address the dispute in a peaceful manner through dialogue with India and he was expecting that India would reciprocate Pakistan’s offer for talks. He said that the world was aware about the atrocities being committed by the Indian forces on the people in the occupied Kashmir. About Afghanistan, Qureshi said that Pakistan wanted to improve ties with Kabul. He said that both countries had rendered huge sacrifices in war on terror.

Talking on the Pak-US relations, he said that he was expecting a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to South Asian region in the first week of September.

The foreign minister said that Pakistan and the US had to work together to achieve peace and stability in the region. “Neither Pakistan nor the US can achieve it on their own,” he added. Presenting Pakistan's stance on blasphemous caricatures, the foreign minister said that Pakistan would take up the issue with the UN as it was the best forum to highlight the emotions of Muslims.

He said that the water scarcity had become a challenge not only for Pakistan, but also for the entire region. He said that a consensus had been developed among all the four provinces for construction of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. He thanked the Indian premier for extending Eid wishes to Pakistanis.