ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says India’s hegemonic pretensions present a clear danger to regional stability, and to Pakistan’s security.
Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad on Thursday, he said India resorts to war-mongering and issues nuclear threats including for short term domestic electoral gains.
The Minister said New Delhi refuses to bilaterally engage dialogue and rejects proposals aimed at risk reduction, confidence-building and nuclear and missile restraint.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan desires peace and strategic stability in order to focus on its socio-economic development agenda.
He said our conduct continues to be defined by restraint and responsibility, and the avoidance of an arms race. Pakistan, however, cannot remain oblivious to the evolving security dynamics in its immediate neighbourhood.
The Minister said on August 5, India sought to further consolidate its illegal and immoral occupation of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir in violation of numerous UNSC resolutions and international law.
He said the inhuman lockdown of eight million people continuing for over 70 days is imposing unspeakable sufferings on the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
He said we will continue to stand by Kashmiris in their just struggle for realization of the right to self-determination.
Speaking about Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan is fully supporting peace and reconciliation, to be achieved through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process. He said we have supported all rounds of Afghan peace talks in Doha and Abu Dhabi. We hope that the US-Taliban talks recommence and lead to intra-Afghan negotiations.
