ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi took up the kidnapping and killing incident of members of a Pakistani family in Hamilton, Ontario with his Canadian counterpart Marc Garneau, on Saturday, and expressed confidence in the ability of Canadian authorities to ensure justice.
Foreign Minister Qureshi received a telephone call from Foreign Minister of Canada Marc Garneau, Foreign Office said, adding that the two foreign ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan, as well as, bilateral matters.
In regard to the tragic incident on 16th September, involving a Pakistani-Canadian family in Hamilton, Ontario, the foreign minister expressed confidence in the ability of the Canadian authorities to ensure justice, it added.
According to Hamilton police, 63-year-old Faqir Ali, a Pakistani-Canadian suffered life-threatening injuries after he was kidnapped from his home on September 16 early morning. The violent home invasion left one of his sons dead. Ali was later found in serious condition.
According to the Foreign Office statement, the two foreign ministers also exchanged views on Afghanistan, adding that Foreign Minister Qureshi emphasised that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of paramount importance for Pakistan and the region.
He also apprised Minister Garneau of his regional outreach efforts regarding the situation in Afghanistan.
Qureshi underlined the need for achieving an inclusive political settlement and the importance of the international community in providing humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan.
The foreign minister briefed his Canadian counterpart regarding humanitarian support provided by Pakistan including establishment of a humanitarian corridor for the delivery of relief goods and in-kind assistance by Pakistan for Afghan brethren through air and land routes.
In the bilateral context, Qureshi expressed the hope that the next round of Bilateral Political Consultations scheduled to be held in October 2021 would be conducted in-person, if the Covid-19 situation improved.
The foreign minister also called upon the Canadian government to ease the visa regime especially for students and businessmen and asked for further positive revision of Canadian travel advisory for Pakistan.
“The Canadian foreign minister agreed that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was crucial for regional peace, stability and prosperity, and praised Pakistan’s efforts in promoting these objectives. He expressed gratitude to Pakistan for its facilitation in evacuation related matters and hoped that such support will continue,” says the statement.
The two foreign ministers agreed to remain engaged and further strengthen bilateral ties.
This was the fourth call between the two foreign ministers in recent months, it added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021