Aafia’s repatriation raised during US visit, Qureshi tells NA

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said the matter of Aafia Siddiqui’s repatriation was also raised during Prime Minister’s visit to Washington and in follow up, the government would continue to exploring all options to secure her repatriation.

In written reply to a question in the National Assembly, the foreign minister said the government of Pakistan is fully seized of the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and has consistently raised her case, including possibility of her repatriation to Pakistan, with the US authorities.

He said that Pakistan’s Consul General in Houston pays periodic Consular visits to Dr. Siddiqui, to inquire about her well being and conveys her messages, if any, to Dr. Aafia’s family.

In another written reply, the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reiterated that solution to all outstanding issues with India including the Kashmir issue is possible only through a comprehensive and result-oriented dialogue and it is up to the neighbouring country to reciprocate.

“Pakistan desires peaceful, cooperative and good neighbourly relations with all its neighbours, including India. Historically, the relationship between Pakistan and India has remained challenged due to lack of trust and many outstanding issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” the Foreign Minister said.

He said that Pakistan’s consistent position has been to normalize relations with India on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality. “We have consistently maintained that durable peace and stability in South Asia can only be achieved through peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir.

Qureshi said that Pakistani initiative to Kartarpur Sahib Corridor could be a precursor to bringing a possible change in the relationship that has been marked by tensions and conflicts over the past seven decades.

He recalled that dialogue process between Pakistan and India was suspended unilaterally by India in 2013 (in the backdrop of hostilities across the LoC) and then in 2016 (after the Pathankot attack.)

He said not only the bilateral dialogue has remained stalled, but the SAARC process has also been stymied. Pakistan’s efforts to host the next SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016 wereobstructed by India and the position remains unchanged.

The minister told the House that after his electoral victory in July 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that Pakistan would take two steps forward, if India took one, to improve bilateral relations.

Responding to Prime Minister Modi’s letter of felicitations, which inter alia affirmed India’s commitment to ‘constructive engagement’, Prime Minister Imran Khan proposed a meeting of both Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York,” he said.

He recalled that the proposal was reiterated by the Foreign Minister in his response to the Indian EAM’s felicitations message as well. Unfortunately, India cancelled the meeting within 24 hours of confirmation on baseless pretexts.

He pointed out the Pulwama incident in February 2019 and subsequent Indian aggression in Balakot further escalated the situation. On 27 February 2019, in response to India’s act of aggression, Pakistan Air Force hit non-military targets, avoiding human loss and collateral damage. Two Indian military jets were shot down by Pakistan Air Force for violating Pakistani air-space.

“One pilot was captured. Throughout this phase, Pakistan acted with tremendous restraint and responsibility. The Prime Minister decided to return the captured Indian pilot as a peace gesture,” he said.

He said in line with Islamic principles advocating peace and respect for all religions and the Quaid’s vision of a peaceful neighborhood, Pakistan initiated and persevered with the proposal to open the Kartarpur Corridor. Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the ground­breaking ceremony of the Corridor on 28 November 2018, attended by two Indian Union Ministers.

Technical and political meetings (the second round was in Wagah on 14 July 2019) have been held between Pakistan and India on Kartarpur Corridor. Both sides have had detailed and constructive discussions on various aspects and provisions of the proposed agreement and have agreed to work towards expeditiously operationalizing the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for the 550th anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri and the opposition members were involved in briefed verbal clash on issue of non-production of detained members in the House when the National Assembly is in session.

Deputy Speaker who was chairing the proceedings snubbed opposition members when Syed Naveed Qamar of PPP accused the chair of non issuing production orders of six parliamentarians. “Today again six members are not present in the House and the chair is not issuing production orders,” Naveed Qamar said.

The Deputy Speaker while advising the opposition to seek bail of their detained leader said the Speaker had the powers to take decision to issue production orders of any member under rule 108 of Rules of Business and Conduct of Business of the House.

Amid protest from the opposition members, the Deputy Speaker said the chair would not come under pressure from the opposition of the government and take decision as per rules and law.

Meanwhile, six private members bills were also introduced on Thursday. Those include Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Bill, 2019 to establish the Islamabad Food Authority; the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the National Institute of Oceanography (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Export Processing Zones Authority (Amendment Bill, 2019; the Small Business Finance Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Cigarettes (Printing of warning) Amendment Bill, 2019.