ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on Tuesday, cautioned that the Afghan peace process has entered a critical phase, and urged the Afghan leadership to sit together and resolve their problems instead of the blame game.
In a statement, the foreign minister referred to the recent negative statements by the Afghanistan leadership including its vice president and the national security adviser, saying such statements were causing complexities rather than solution to the problem.
"If you turn a blind eye to your mistakes, you will never find a solution...The blame game will never benefit any side," the foreign minister told the Afghan leadership, adding the Afghan leadership should create a space for each other and resolve their problems by sitting together.
He reassured the Afghan leadership that Pakistan would never allow its soil to be used against any other country, adding that restoration of peace and stability was a shared resolve of the two countries.
About the role of India, Qureshi said India should play a role for the regional peace instead of acting as a "spoiler".
He said the minorities in India were under immense stress and feeling insecure, adding that a large segment of the Indian society had rejected Modi's policies.
"Media is being under pressure in India and those media outlets which are doing independent reporting come under attacks," Foreign Minister Qureshi said.
In another statement about the situation in the National Assembly budget session, Qureshi who is also vice chairman of the PTI, accused the opposition for provoking the treasury members.
"If the opposition lawmakers do not listen to us, we will not be listening to them....If Imran Khan is not given the right to speak in the House as Leader of the House, then the Leader of the Opposition cannot get this right either," Qureshi said.
He said the opposition had the right to criticise the budget and express their views in a polite manner.
"But this is inappropriate to give your views and refuse to listen to the government's position," he said, adding that all members had the right to speak on the budget.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021