Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance on Israel and clarified that the county will never recognize Israel and rejected the statement attributed to him and the PM about the recognition of Israel.

“I want to make it clear that the rumours of recognizing Israel are baseless and not true,” the federal minister said in his policy statement in the National Assembly, adding that Pakistan was and to date a supporter of the two-state ideology.

Reiterating that Pakistan, by no means, will recognize Israel under the influence of any Arab country, the foreign minister asserted that the incumbent government’s position on Palestine was the same as that of the former governments of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

“We want a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue and demand that Al-Quds Al-Sharif should be the capital of Palestine,” FM Qureshi added.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s unflinching support to Kashmiris, the minister said that Islamabad could not accept India’s 5th August illegal steps in the occupied valley. He condemned the India’s unilateral move on Kashmir, adding that it was contrary to UN charter and international laws.

He maintained that a political committee is being constituted to formulate a joint way forward on critical issues of national interests including the outstanding Kashmir dispute. The foreign minister said Pakistan has a unanimous stance on the Kashmir issue.

He clarified that Pakistan is part of the group which opposes the permanent membership of India in the UN Security Council. He, however, said non-permanent seat in the Security Council is given on rotational basis and Pakistan also remained the world body’s non-permanent member in the past.

Shah Mahmood said that a political committee was being constituted to formulate a joint way forward on critical issues of national interests including the outstanding Kashmir dispute. Responding to the points of PML-N leader Khawaja Asif in the National Assembly on Tuesday, the Foreign Minister said the PML-N, PPP, JUI (F) and Awami National Party are invited to become part of this process.

On the points of PML (N) leader Khawaja Asif, the chair said Pakistan has not and will never accept Israel which is occupying the land of Palestinians. He said our hearts beat with the oppressed Palestinian people.

Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said the Kashmir dispute stands internationalized as a result of the efforts of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the way Imran Khan has pleaded the case of Kashmiris at the international level is unprecedented. He pointed out that it was after a passage of fifty years that the UN Security Council held discussions on the Kashmir dispute twice a year. He said the Prime Minister has also forcefully raised the issues of Muslim Ummah at the world forums.

PML-N Rana Tanvir Hussain said the government should support farmers to enhance the agriculture yield. He said proper planning should be done to control the locust attack and ensure food security.