Pakistan only facilitating peace talks in Afghanistan: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said Pakistan was only facilitating peace talks in Afghanistan and could not impose any decision upon Kabul.Talking to the media here, he said peace could not prevail in Afghanistan by force until all stakeholders were not united to develop consensus. He said some forces did not want peace in Afghanistan and were against central Asian states playing their role in resolution of Afghan dispute. He said the United States changed his stance about Pakistan and now desired to hold dialogue with Pakistan because of Prime Minister Imran Khan's leadership.

Criticizing Indian atrocities in Kashmir, he said India was facing troubles these days while a number of international institutions were backing Pakistan's stance against rights’ violations in the valley. He said all political parties were on one page against rights’ violations in Kashmir. He said all political parties would jointly observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was visiting Qatar from January 22 as the Qatar had promised 100,000 jobs for Pakistanis. Pakistan improved relations with China. The foreign investment could end unemployment in the country. The foreign ministry was engaged in bringing foreign investment in the country under economic diplomacy. He said Pakistan refused accepting IMF conditions because it was overburdening common man.

He said the import bill reduced 4pc and exports increased 11pc since the PTI took over government.

On domestic politics, he said the PTI did not believe in politics of confrontation and the party had not filed a single corruption case against the PPP and the PML-N. The under-trial cases were filed before the PTI came into power. He said neither confrontation was the PTI policy nor the PTI sent anyone to jail. The PTI was bound to implement court orders.

He said the prime minister always appeared before the NAB when he was summoned. He said the helicopter case against him had no worth. Some people were spreading disinformation on the South Punjab province. He requested South Punjab journalists to play their role against baseless news. He said he wished the people of South Punjab get their identity and the PTI was seeking other political parties’ support in creating the new province. He said South Punjab's development funds were shifted to other provinces in the past but the PTI would not allow this practice. The South Punjab Secretariat would be established in the current year at any cost. The PTI was also making efforts to establish a separate Public Service Commission for South Punjab.