MULTAN – Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that all arrangements have been finalised to open the Kartarpur Corridor and Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the visa-free facility for Sikh pilgrims on Nov 9.
Talking to journalists at Multan’s Iron Market on Saturday, Qureshi said that India was reluctant to open the Corridor, but agreed later on due to public pressure from Indian Punjab and India would arrange a ceremony regarding Kartarpur Corridor on Nov 8.
As many as 5,000 Sikh pilgrims would visit Pakistan through Kartarpur Corridor daily. Sikh pilgrims caravans are ready to visit their religious places in Pakistan and waiting for inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor, Qureshi added.
He further said that Pakistan had invited former prime minister of India Manmohan Singh as chief guest at the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor, but he sent a letter in which he said that he would participate as a common man instead of a chief guest.
“We’ll welcome him even if he comes as an ordinary man,” the minister said.
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Qureshi also told the media that the incumbent government would achieve all targets of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to get the country out of grey list.
he said that India failed to push Pakistan into FATF black list and added that the country had been given various tasks till February 2020. He said that the incumbent government would achieve all the targets and bring the country out of grey list. He said that India was facing crises as the world had neglected their viewpoint and international civil society pointed out curfew and human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
He said that the FATF recognized the steps taken by the incumbent government to control money laundering and terror financing. He urged the Opposition parties to avoid any steps which could strengthen the Indian point of view. He said that India had occupied Kashmir on Oct 27 and Pakistan would observe that date as the Black Day.
To a question, Qureshi said that the country’s economy was strengthening day by day and export had increased to 5.9 per cent while a decrease of 11 to 13 per cent had been witnessed in import. He said that Pakistani currency was stable as the US dollar was being sold at Rs 155. He said that next phase is to speed up development and progress in the country.
The Foreign Minister maintained that the government was trying to control inflation.
He said that British royal couple went back to their country as ambassador of Pakistan after their four-day visit to Pakistan. He said their meetings with different political leaders and others would produce positive results soon.
Responding to another question, the Foreign Minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Iran and Saudi Arabia to resolve ongoing conflict between both the countries through dialogue, adding that Saudi leadership had also shown their willingness to resolve issues through negotiations. He said that some elements were trying to destroy peace of the region to break unity among Muslim Ummah.
About so-called Azaadi March by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Qureshi said that future of democracy is brighten as the people are now well aware of the ongoing situation of the region.
He said that the country has to avoid instability in order to bring economic stability and attract investment in the country. He rejected an impression of martial law in the country.
He said that victory of Grand Democratic Alliance’s candidate Moazzam Ali Abbas in by-elections at PS-11 Larkana reflected that people of Sindh want change. “I had already said that there would be PTI government and its allies in Sindh in the next general elections.
The Minister strongly condemned the blast in Afghanistan and said that reduction in violence was vital for sustainable peace in Afghanistan. He said that there is always space for dialogue in politics and added that the government has formed a committee for this purpose. He said that JUI-F leader should avoid any step which strengthen anti-Pakistan elements. He said that peaceful protest is right of anyone and added that government is bound for implementation of law.
On this occasion, he welcomed Farooq Bunda and his supporters on their joining of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said that the Party would strengthen more after the participation of local leaders of different political parties.
