Enemies trying to harm Pak-Afghan ties: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said Afghanistan is passing through difficult times and withdrawing its ambassador from Pakistan is not an appropriate decision.

Urging the Afghan government to review its decision, Qureshi said enemies are making relentless attempts to harm relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Talking to media persons after offering Eid-ul-Azha prayers at the mausoleum of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Multani, he said Pakistan is negotiating with all Afghan neighbouring countries for peace process. Commenting on alleged abduction of Afghan ambassador’s daughter, the minister said a comprehensive investigation is in progress and 700-hour footages were reviewed and 250 persons were interrogated. Nothing would be kept hidden in the investigation but the cooperation of the Afghan ambassador and his daughter is vital to dig out the truth, he remarked.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at Tashkent and another meeting is in the pipeline, which was postponed due to Ghani’s busy schedule. The world is acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts for sustainable peace in Afghanistan but India is playing the role of a spoiler that may destabilize the region.

Indian foreign minister Jaishankar, he said, admitted his government’s attempts to keep Pakistan on the FATF grey list despite the fact that the FATF had recognized that Pakistan had met 26 recommendations out of 27. India is involved in state terrorism, Qureshi said, adding that the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) are still facing hardships at the hands of the Indian government.

The foreign minister said an Israeli software was used by the Indian government to spy on phones and the Indian opposition was also targeted through this spyware.He said Pakistan and China are jointly investigating the Dasu Dam incident and he was scheduled to fly for China to hold meetings with important personalities there, he informed. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not be affected at any cost, the FM expressed his resolve.