Pakistan only facilitator but not guarantor in Afghan peace: FM

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said Pakistan is not a guarantor but only facilitator in the Afghan peace process. Talking to the journalists on Tuesday, he said the entire onus of the Afghan peace process cannot be put on Pakistan. He said Pakistan maintains that it is the shared responsibility of all the stakeholders to take forward the peace process. FM Qureshi said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to have a meeting with the Taliban to woo them for the intra Afghan dialogue. He said Pakistan is moving forward in good faith. The minister said convergence was seen on Afghan issue during a meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and the US President Donald Trump. “This has opened a new chapter in Pakistan-US relations,” he added. He said the US visit remained very successful in achieving the objectives and this stands also reflected in the restoration of suspended assistance. “India is neither ready to hold talks bilaterally with Pakistan on Kashmir dispute nor does it accept the third party mediation,” the foreign minister regretted while replying to a question. He maintained that said Indian-held Jammu Kashmir (IHK) is a disputed territory and any demographic changes in occupied Kashmir will not be acceptable to Pakistan as well as Kashmiri people. FM Qureshi told the media that a conference of African envoys will be organized at the foreign office after the UN General Assembly session in September. “Our aim is prepare a far reaching Look Africa Policy to improve trade and economic relations with the African countries,” he mentioned. The minister said the commerce advisor has also taken a very important decision of shifting the commercial consulars in Europe to the African countries in order to exploit the trade potential with this important continent. Earlier, desiring immediate peace process in Afghanistan, Qureshi has termed that Pakistan’s peace is linked to the peace of Afghanistan. Speaking to the journalists in Multan on Sunday, the minister said that he did not ask the US for aid and Pakistan demands peace in Afghanistan. “Some forces do not want Pakistan’s peace efforts to succeed,” he added. “Prime Minister Imran Khan has successfully presented Islamabad’s stance in a very appropriate manner and this visit discouraged the anti-peace efforts of enemies,” the minister said. FM Qureshi paid rich tribute to the martyrs of terrorist attack on Balochistan and North Waziristan, saying that the martyred protected country’s borders with the sacrifice of their bloods.