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FM asks world community to take notice of India's double standards on terrorism
March 21, 2019

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has asked the world community to take notice of India's double standard on the issue of terrorism.

Addressing media briefing at Foreign Office in Islamabad this afternoon, he said on one hand India is blaming Pakistan for Pulwaka incident without any proof while on the other its National Investigation Agency Court has acquitted all the four accused in Samjhauta Express train attack, in which forty-four innocent Pakistanis were killed.

He said the decision is shocking as the main accused, Swami Aseemanand, had himself confessed to his crime. He said Pakistan strongly protested on this development and gave a demarche to India.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said India's reaction to the Christchurch attack also demonstrates New Delhi's double standards as it did not even mention the words Muslims or mosques while coneming the attack.

He said on one hand, India has such attitude towards the Muslims while on the other, it seeks representation in the OIC.

He said it is due to these double standards that the world community is not giving any value to the Indian narrative.

The Foreign Minister said the post-Pulwama situation in the region has once again proved that China is a time-tested friend of Pakistan and it stands by Pakistan like a rock.

He said Pakistan has receiveed dossier from India about the Pulwama incident and it will show to the world whatever are its findings.

He said China will hold the Belt and Road Forum on April 25, which besides heads of state and government of thirty-six countires, will also be attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said Pakistan will have a key role in the conference because China Pakistan economic Corridor is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that it was for the first time that he held strategic dialogue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during his recent visit to Beijing, with the objective to upgrade political consultations between the two countries.

He said he also briefed the Chinese leadership about the ongoing talks for restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

About relations with the United States, the Foreign Minister said it is encoruaging that President Donald Trump, Zalmay Khalilzad and other senior US officials are speaking of improvement in relations with Pakistan.

About the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the visiting dignatory is accompanied by a large delegation, including busniessmen and other key senior officials. The visit will further boost the existing exemplary relations between Pakistan and Malaysia.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi lauded the behavior of New Zealand government, particularly Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, in the wake of attacks on mosqus in Christchurch.

He also appreciated the courage and bravery of the New Zealand national of Prkistani origin, Naeem Rashid, who tried to save fellow Muslims by laying down his life.

The Foreign Minister said Pakistan and Turkey have taken an initiative by convening an emergency meeting of OIC Executive Committee to discuss growing Islamphobia and analyze the causes behind increasing hatred against Muslims in many European countries. He said he will leave for Istanbul tonight to represent Pakistan at the meeting.

Answering to a question, the Foreign Minister said during his visit to China, the stance of China regarding Maulana Masood Azhar was also discussed. However, he said findings of UN Sanctions Committee are confidential and cannot be commented upon.

He told another questioner that there is a complete consensus on National Action Plan and a twenty-point agenda was agreed upon. He said the NAP was agreed and signed by all parliamentary leaders.

He said many forces are trying to isolate Pakistan internationally and it is the collective responsibility of all political parties to play their role in national interest.

Speaking on the occasion Information Minister Fawad Chauhdry said Pakistan will never allow India to take action against any group or individual on its soil. Addressing the briefing, Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood said the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad will open a window of opportunities to our economy as our trade and investment with the Far East will increase.

He said the visit will prove beginnigng of the Look East approach of the present government.

He said three MoUs will be signed during the visit while an investment of eight to nine hundered million dollar is expected between the two countries in the fields of IT, Telecom, Power Generation, Textile, Agriculture and Halal Food industries.

   

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has termed acquittal of Samjhauta terror attacks as historic injustice.

She briefed the Islamabad Diplomatic Corps at Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Thursday on the injustice done to the forty-four Pakistanis killed in the Samjhota Express terrorist attack in 2007 in India, with the acquittal of all four perpetrators, including Swami Aseemanand, in the Samjhota Terror Attacks.

Swami Aseemanand was the mastermind of the heinous attacks and is an activist of the Hindu terrorist organization, RSS who had publicly confessed his involvement in the attack.

Foreign Secretary stressed that despite repeated requests by Pakistan for a fair trial, after a lapse of more than 11 years, Indian courts have now exonerated the accused, which demonstrates how India protects terrorists who publicly confessed their odious crimes.