Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said Islamabad desires better bilateral relations with New Delhi and wants to de-escalate tensions with the country’s eastern neighbour, Radio Pakistan reported.

FM Qureshi made the statement during his meeting with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood and added that “direct contact is necessary to reduce the tension prevailing between the two countries”. He further said that the two countries will hold discussion on March 14 in New Delhi. The high commissioner and the foreign minister also exchanged views on Pak-India relations during the meeting.

Sohail Mahmood will depart for New Delhi after the meeting. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday thanked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for timely intervention amid simmering tensions between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India. Briefing the Pak-China Economic Cooperation Conference, Qureshi appreciated the advice offered by Chinese leadership post-Pulwama. “China offered mediation and urged for dialogue,” he elaborated.

Qureshi said the recent tension between Islamabad and New Delhi is reducing and Pakistan has decided to send back its High Commissioner to New Delhi after consultations. He said Pakistan has increased the diplomatic efforts and Prime Minister Imran Khan was fully committed to conducting country’s foreign policy in honour, dignity, national interest and as per the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. On deepening ties with the northeastern neighbour, the foreign minister said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) reflects collective desire to usher the region into an era of shared prosperity.

Published in Daily Times, March 8^th 2019.