Daily Times

Islamabad: The Foreign Office has stated that India has no role to play in Afghanistan and assured that Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role for promoting peace and reconciliation process in the restive western neighbour.

Responding to media questions at his press briefing in the Foreign Ministry, FO spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said the purpose of Foreign Minister’s whirlwind visit was two-fold, including strengthening of regional consensus on Afghanistan and exploring possibilities of a win-win framework for regional connectivity and economic development to help achieve the ultimate objective of economic growth and prosperity in the region.

The spokesman said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s visits to Kabul, Tehran, Beijing and Moscow would help generate consensus among all stakeholders and would advance the peace process in Afghanistan.

“The visit was essentially a part of government’s policy to strengthen relations with all neighbours and regional countries,” he remarked.

The spokesman confirmed that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would be visiting Qatar soon. Later, speaking to Daily Times, Qureshi said he would visit Qatar on December 30, 2018. The foreign minister said the visit to Qatar was a part of the shuttle diplomacy covering four countries of the region.

Further speaking at the press briefing, the FO spokesperson said international community has recognized Pakistan’s efforts for peace and stability in the region, including Afghanistan. He said Pakistan’s longstanding position to give peace and reconciliation a real chance in Afghanistan has become the basis for an international consensus.

The spokesman said due to Pakistan’s cooperation and active diplomacy, successful round of talks took place recently, including Moscow Format Consultations, Geneva Conference on Afghanistan, and the Abu Dhabi meeting between UN and Afghan Taliban.

The spokesman said this shuttle diplomacy by the Foreign Minister provided an opportunity to listen to views of the leadership in Afghanistan, Iran, China and Russia, for promoting a joint regional approach on Afghanistan and explore realistic possibilities of regional integration in economic terms in the future.

Dr Faisal strongly condemned the fresh wave of violence by Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir where some five hundred civilians have been killed in 2018.

The spokesman called upon the international community to press India to immediately stop its atrocities in the occupied valley.

The spokesperson said the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is at the top of Pakistan’s list of priorities in its foreign policy, and Pakistan will continue to expose the true Indian face in occupied Kashmir at all international forums.

Replying to another question, the spokesman said there are 341 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails including 154 civil prisoners and 187 fishermen.

“Our high commission is in contact with all relevant Indian authorities for repatriation of these prisoners. Our mission in New Delhi also engages with the Indian media to highlight the plight of Pakistani prisoners adding that a law firm has been hired to assist and facilitate their repatriation to Pakistan as soon as possible.

Published in Daily Times, December 28^th 2018.