LAHORE - Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said Maulana Fazl ur Rehman’s march had diverted people’s attention from Kashmir issue. He was talking to the media after a meeting with Punjab Governor Ch Mohammad Sarwar at the Governor House here. “India thought Pakistan is busy in internal conflicts so it planned and executed a plot in Kashmir”, he said blaming the Opposition for the Kashmir fiasco. Replying a question regarding Maulana’s long march, the foreign minister said that there was ambiguity in JUI-F’s demands.
“Government has not created any hurdle in the way of Opposition’s protest. We hope the Opposition will reciprocate and abide by the agreement”, he said, adding that PTI government was democratic in nature and tolerance was part of democracy. In the past, he said: “The present Opposition used to say that Dharna will derail democracy and would say that we don’t want to derail democracy”. He said provisions were there in constitution to form and dissolve a government. “Is this a good way the Opposition is adopting? He asked.
He said present had got the mandate to rule for five years whereas it had completed only one year so far. “If elections are held after every year, the government and the economy cannot function”, he said. Answering a question, he said that investigation report on TiK Tok girl’s entry in the Foreign office had been sent to the Prime Minister. On Kashmir issue, the foreign minister said that India had staged a drama by allowing the non- official European members to visit Kashmir.
“We invited International media to visit Azad Kashmir but India was not doing the same to hide its atrocities”, he remarked. To a question, he said that Pakistan had invited Manmohan Singh to participate in Kartarpur inaugural ceremony while sticking to our principled stance on Kashmir. Speaking on the occasion, Governor said that India had converted Kashmir into world’s biggest open Jail by imposing curfew for consecutive 88th day.
He said India was doing genocide in Kashmir through use brute force. He lamented that the UN and other world organization had failed to fulfill their obligations. “All world organizations must act to solve Kashmir issue in line with UN resolutions. Until Kashmir issue is resolved peace in this region will remain a far cry”, he maintained. Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called on Punjab Governor Ch Mohammad Sarwar in Governor House Lahore. Political issues including Kashmir came under discussion in the meeting. They also offered prayer and condolence for victims of Liaqat Pur Train incident.
