ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that Pakistan is a peace loving country and desires for peace and harmony in the region.
He made the comments during a meeting with Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India Sohail Mahmood, a day after the country’s top envoy in New Delhi was recalled for ‘consultations’ following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
“Islamabad is analysing the situation closely, the Indian blame game will not serve anyone,” Qureshi said.
“Pakistan wants peace in the region. Insecurity and hostility are not in anybody’s interest,” the foreign minister added.
He further said that the Foreign Office (FO) is reviewing the situation and a letter has been sent to United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres to apprise him about the situation.
The letter stated, “The Pulwama attack on Indian Central Reserve Police Force was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident of Indian Occupied Kashmir. Attributing it to Pakistan even before investigations is absurd.”
“For domestic political reasons, India has deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment. It has also hinted that it may abandon the Indus Waters Treaty. This would be a grievous error,” the letter further added.
“It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step into defusing tensions. India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation on Pulwama incident,” it added.
The letter further read, “You may also consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down.”
FM Qureshi said, “I request that this letter is circulated to members of the Security Council and General Assembly.”
Earlier, Pakistan called back its high commissioner from India for consultations in regards to the Pulwama attack.
It merits mentioning that Pakistan-India relations have taken a turn for the worse as at least 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and many others injured when suspected militants targeted a convoy with a car bomb at Awantipora in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday.
The car bomb attack considered the worst ever on security personnel in the state, was reportedly claimed by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad and carried out by a 20-year-old Kashmiri man.
India had accused Pakistan of facilitating the attack as it announced that it would withdraw Pakistan’s ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status. However, Pakistan has denied all allegations of terror financing.
“We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations,” Pakistan’s FO said in a statement on Thursday.
Earlier, Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had summoned Pakistan’s High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood while India’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria was called to New Delhi for consultation over the incident.
Mahmood was “issued a very strong demarche in connection with the terrorist attack in Pulwama yesterday,” Reuters wire service quoted an Indian source as saying.
