Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his counterpart from New Zealand Winston Peters and discussed matters related to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic as well as bilateral relations.

Highlighting cooperative relations between Pakistan and New Zealand, Shah Mahmood Qureshi underscored the importance of a coordinated international response to deal with the unprecedented pandemic.

He commended New Zealand’s efforts, under the proactive leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, to control the spread of the disease.

Underscoring that a global recession is imminent, and the pandemic has seriously impacted the developing world, Shah Mahmood Qureshi highlighted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Global Initiative for Debt Relief and hoped that New Zealand will lend its support to the Initiative.

The Foreign Minister highlighted on-going restrictions in Indian Occupied Kashmir, which are hampering dissemination of information and preventing unfettered supply of medicines and other essentials needed to combat Covid-19.

He also expressed deep concern over heightened hate crimes and demonization of the Muslim minority in India in the context of Covid-19. The Foreign Minister also noted that the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have expressed concerns regarding the steepest and alarming deterioration in religious freedom conditions in India.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi thanked the New Zealand government for providing visa extension to Pakistanis on temporary visas in New Zealand who could not leave due to border restrictions.

The Foreign Minister also appreciated the assurances of the New Zealand Foreign Minister for taking care of the 200 Pakistani students in New Zealand.

The two Ministers agreed to remain in touch.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has expressed regret that Hindutva-inspired BJP government in India is using the Coronavirus pandemic to demonize India's Muslim minority, urging the global community to reject such attempts.  

Talking to his Finland counterpart Pekka Olavi Haavisto on telephone, he expressed serious concern over the continued communications and movement restrictions in Occupied Kashmir, which are hampering dissemination of information and unfettering supply of medicines during ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. 

Both the foreign ministers discussed ways and means to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and its socio-economic fallout.

 Shah Mehmood Qureshi briefed the Finnish Foreign Minister on the measures being taken by the government of Pakistan to contain the pathogen while safeguarding economic well-being and livelihoods of the people, particularly the most vulnerable segments.

The Foreign Minister also highlighted Prime Minister Imran Khan's 'Global Initiative on Debt Relief' for the developing countries, which was urgently needed to free up resources to fight the pandemic and mitigate its adverse economic impact.

Shah Mehmood reiterated Pakistan's continued support for peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan and expressed the hope for an early commencement of Intra-Afghan negotiations.

Finland Foreign Minister Pekka Olavi Haavisto shared the concern by Shah Mehmood Qureshi vis-à-vis the negative fallout of Covid-19 on the fragile economies of developing countries.

The two leaders agreed to remain engaged on the debt relief initiative and enhancement of bilateral relations.

Akram/ImranAsmaa/Karrar