PM’s plea for debt relief benefiting developing nations: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has asserted that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plea for debt relief has benefited developing countries including Pakistan amid coronavirus situation.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today (Thursday), he said that the developing nations were facing two major problems – fiscal space and proper health systems.

In this regard, FM Qureshi said, “The most appropriate response developing nations can get from international financial institutions is granting debt relief.”

The foreign minister also lauded prime minister’s initiative for debt relief and said that this was the fourth global initiative PM Imran had spearheaded during his term as Prime Minister.

Commenting on the global initiatives taken by PM Imran, FM Qureshi said, “His drive against climate change, his campaign against eliminating Islamophobia, his actions against corruption and corrupt elements and now his initiative against debt relief.”

Referring to the repatriation of Pakistanis nationals stranded abroad, FM Qureshi said that the foreign office was constantly working in this regard.

He informed that the foreign office had established a crisis management centre on the issue, adding that the biggest challenge in repatriating nationals was our capacity for testing and quarantining.

Regarding the US decision to withdraw funding for the World Health Organisation, FM Qureshi said, “It is my personal view, but I think they should review it.”