Share this story!            

No controversy over Kerry-Lugar Act: Qureshi

* FM hands over model of Badshahi Masjid to Islamic Art Museum Malaysia
* Malaysia to import rice, livestock from Pakistan

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no controversy in Pakistan over the Kerry-Lugar Act, following the formal explanatory statement issued by the US, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Tuesday.

In an interview to the Daily Star, the most circulated newspaper in Malaysia, Qureshi said he had discussed Pakistan’s concerns over certain provisions of the Kerry-Lugar bill with Washington, which the US administration understood and issued a formal explanatory statement.

He said the $1.5 billion per annum aid would be used to strengthen democratic institutions in Pakistan and to develop the education, social and economic sectors, which would help bring economic and social stability and ensure security in Pakistan.

To a question, the FM said Pakistan’s relations with the US had not been consistent, but Washington took notice of it and started a process of extensive consultation and exchange of views with the democratically elected government of Pakistan to set a mechanism in place to remove the inconsistencies.

He said the Pakistani government was following the politics of reconciliation and developing consensus over issues of national importance, including the decision to launch a military operation in Swat and Malakand and the current drive to wipe out the Taliban from South Waziristan.

Gift: Separately, Qureshi handed over a scale model of the historic Badshahi Masjid to the Islamic Art Museum Malaysia, which exhibits rich collection of models of historic mosques from the Islamic world.

Speaking on the occasion, the FM said Badshahi Masjid in Lahore is presently the 2nd largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia, and the 5th largest mosque in the world. He said the mosque had served as the largest mosque of the Islamic world until 1986, the year Faisal Masjid in Islamabad was completed. The FM said the model would add to the beauty of the magnificent museum.

He also visited various sections of the museum and showed keen interest in the unique collection of the Islamic heritage from across the Middle East, West Asia, South Asia, Central Asia and South-East Asia, APP reported.

Imports: Qureshi also met Malaysian Minister for Agriculture and Agro Based Industry Dato’ Haji Noh Bin Omar in Putrajaya on Tuesday. During the meeting, the Malaysian minister showed keen interest in importing rice, beef and livestock from Pakistan.

Qureshi told the minister that there had been a surplus crop of high-quality basmati rice in every harvest. He said Pakistan would be a dependable and consistent source of rice supply to Malaysia. He also offered a steady and consistent supply of frozen beef and mutton to Malaysia. app/staff report

Home | National

Share this story!