MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan and will continue playing its role to bring stability in the neighbouring country.
Talking to media in Multan on Saturday, he said Pakistan is providing all-out facilitation for the negotiated settlement of the Afghan conflict.
The foreign minister said it is a good thing that the US and Taliban have agreed to sit together to hold talks. He said that progress was noted in some dialogue sessions held in Abu Dhabi recently and stakeholders have expressed readiness to move further ahead.
On the US decision of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, he said the decision will lead to peace in the neighbouring country.
Replying to a question on the worsening human rights situation in the occupied Kashmir, FM Qureshi said Pakistan has consistently been raising the issue at all international fora.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan called the UN secretary general and drew his attention towards the plight of Kashmiris.
In his telephonic call, the prime minister impressed upon the UN chief to use his influence over India to stop the abuses of human rights in the held territory.
Qureshi said the use of excessive force by India is further deteriorating the situation in held Kashmir.
He said the UN human rights report and British House of Commons report both note the use of pellet guns and other brutal methods to suppress the voice of freedom of Kashmiris, endorsing Pakistan’s point of view.
FM Qureshi said he himself wrote letters to OIC and the United Nations to highlight the barbaric treatment meted out to innocent Kashmiris by the Indian forces.
Consequently, the OIC issued a strong statement and expressed grave concerns over the human rights violations in the occupied Kashmir.
On another question, Qureshi dispelled the impression that talks are being held with the US to release Dr Shakeel Afridi in exchange for Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
He said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was given full opportunity by the courts to defend his case. He said the courts are free to make their decisions and will serve justice.
