Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday urged the new US administration of President Joe Biden to recognise that the world, Pakistan and specifically India have changed a lot in the last four years, hence any engagement and relations should be developed on the basis of new ground realities.
Addressing a press conference in Multan, Qureshi said he had a "short message" for the new US administration. "In [these] four years [since the previous Democrat administration] the world has changed, the region has changed and Pakistan has changed and you have to engage with this new Pakistan," said Qureshi, further adding, "India has changed. Is it the same shining and secular India today? No."
He pointed out that voices from within India were rising and confirming that it is not a secular India, it is "a new face of Hindutva, a new practical demonstration of the thinking of the RSS. Minorities in India are finding themselves to be insecure."
The foreign minister said based on this new reality, the PTI government hoped to engage with the new US administration based on a "new approach and new guidelines"."I understand that there is a lot of similarity [between] the United States' current thinking and our policies," said Qureshi. He further mentioned that he had penned a letter to the incoming US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, updating him about the trajectory of Pakistan's current policies and looked forward to having more talks on the issue with him in the coming days.
"We have made a very big shift, from a geo-strategic position to a geo-economic position," said the foreign minister.
'You have constitutionally accepted Imran Khan as the prime minister'
Qureshi also addressed PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's suggestion of a no-confidence motion to the opposition's Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) against the incumbent government. The PPP chairman had hinted at such a course of action during a press conference in Larkana on Friday."We have made a very big shift, from a geo-strategic position to a geo-economic position," said the foreign minister.
'You have constitutionally accepted Imran Khan as the prime minister'
Qureshi also addressed PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's suggestion of a no-confidence motion to the opposition's Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) against the incumbent government. The PPP chairman had hinted at such a course of action during a press conference in Larkana on Friday.
Qureshi welcomed the idea, terming it a "constitutional measure". He added that the PTI government and its allies were confident that they are "in a position to confront and defeat it in a constitutional and parliamentary manner."
"Now it is clear from this, Bilawal when you say you will bring a no-confidence motion, it means you have constitutionally accepted Imran Khan as [your] prime minister," said the foreign minister, adding that Imran Khan was the prime minister, which is why Bilawal wanted to bring a no-confidence motion against him.
In light of the above situation, he advised the PPP chairman to "stop saying that he [Imran Khan] is [a] selected prime minister, he is [an] elected prime minister and [the] people of Pakistan have elected him."
He said the no-confidence motion vindicated his stance that the PDM was an "unnatural" alliance since they first agree on a united position then eventually disagree, referring to the PDM's changing stances on the issue of resignations and the long march to Islamabad.
"They will scatter and you are seeing that has [already] started."Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Sunday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led government was prepared to defeat any no-confidence motion against the prime minister, saying the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance has started to shatter.
Commenting on the ongoing PDM's protests, Qureshi said political parties forming the alliance are not focused anymore.
Moreover, the foreign minister, referring to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto's statement regarding introducing a no-confidence motion against PM Imran, said "Those talking about initiatingn a no-confidence motion have accepted Imran Khan as the prime minister."
Regarding the opposition's role in the Broadsheet saga, he said, "the PTI-led government has nothing to do with the agreements signed with Broadsheet [the UK-based law firm].
"If the opposition is clean in this regard, it shouldn't object to anyone leading the inquiry committee." The opposition should come up with its explanation rather than resorting to criticism," he maintained.
The veteran PTI leader said, "Imran Khan was elected as the prime minister by the people of Pakistan and hencne, the practice of referring to him as the 'selected' prime minister must stop."
