FM Qureshi slams Afghan NSA for remarks against Pakistan

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi slammed  Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib for his incendiary comments against Pakistan.

Addressing a gathering of political workers in Multan, Qureshi called on him to “reflect and correct” his behaviour as he was a “spoiler” for peace in Afghanistan. “The national security adviser of Afghanistan carefully listen. No Pakistani will shake your hand or talk with you if you don’t desist from the kind of language you are using against Pakistan,” Qureshi warned.

Qureshi said Pakistan had suffered a “huge cost” in terms of lives lost and financial consequences from terrorism, adding that Pakistan was only concerned with peace and stability in the region. “You should be ashamed and you should be guilty at your words and my blood is boiling ever since your speech in Nangarhar. Correct your behaviour and reflect on it,” he added.

He added that the Afghan NSA was creating obstacles on Afghanistan’s road towards peace and trying to worsen the situation instead of improving it. He said that international community must ask him to stop creating hurdles in restoration of peace in Afghanistan as the Afghan national security advisor was playing a role of spoiler.

He warned the National Security Advisor of Afghanistan from continuing statements against Pakistan and said the international community must ask him to stop creating hurdles in peace restoration

The foreign minister was responding to comments made by the Afghan national security adviser during a visit to Nangarhar province earlier in May, during which he called Pakistan a “brothel house”.

His remarks outraged leaders in Islamabad who denounced him. Pakistan has reported lodged a strong protest with the Afghan side and conveyed deep resentment over the undignified remarks.

Will invite foreign ministers of Muslim countries

Foreign Minister Qureshi said that Pakistan would invite foreign ministers of all Muslim countries in Islamabad in March next year to present the case of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and resolve the issue.

He said that Pakistan presented the case of Palestine against Israel’s attack, in which many Palestinians were martyred and injured, at the United Nations through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

He said that while the session was in progress, protests had begun in several countries, which put pressure on Israel for a ceasefire. He added the foreign minister of Egypt informed that Israel agreed to a ceasefire.

Qureshi said Pakistan’s foreign policy grabbed another achievement by getting a resolution passed in Geneva meeting through which an inquiry commission has been formed to investigate involvement of Israel in war crimes.

The foreign minister said that Israel attacked Palestinian when they were going to offer prayers in Al-Aqsa mosque on 27th of Ramazan. He said that Pakistan gave quick response and contacted OICto play their role to stop Israel’s violence on Palestine.

At the UN, FM Qureshi said he highlighted the similarities between Palestine and occupied Kashmir as both nations were facing attacks, martyrdom, injuries, communication blackout and other human rights violations.

He said that after the UN session, “I faced allegations of anti-semitism but the whole nation stood by me through social media platform and defended me by quoting facts and figures.”

The foreign minister added that Pakistan was striving hard to ensure sustainable peace in Afghanistan and the world recognized their stance for peace through dialogue in Afghanistan. He said that he met with the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and China two days back and he briefed them about Pakistan’s stance for restoring peace in Afghanistan.

He said that Pakistan was in FATF grey list since 2017 when PTI was not in power. He said that a meeting of Asia Pacific Group was held which said that Pakistan has achieved various recommendations. He said that next meeting of FATF was going to be held in June adding that there would be no reason to put Pakistan in grey list anymore.