Tag: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

  • Foreign Minister Qureshi likely to be replaced by Shireen Mazari as govt, army mend Riyadh ties: report

    Foreign Minister Qureshi likely to be replaced by Shireen Mazari as govt, army mend Riyadh ties: report

    Rumours regarding the removal of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, ever since his statement regarding ditching Saudi Arabia for Kashmir’s sake, have gone rife in the federal capital as reports claim he is likely to be replaced by Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari amid Islamabad’s attempts to mend ties with Riyadh.

    Qureshi had earlier this month accused the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) of dilly-dallying on the Kashmir issue in remarks that were seen by Riyadh as an attack on its leadership of the organisation.

    “I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” Qureshi had said during an interview.

    Days after his statement, as diplomatic strains occur between Islamabad and Riyadh over the Kashmir issue, it was announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will be visiting Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security issues and Kashmir dispute with the Saudi leadership.

    “Yes, he [Gen Bajwa] is travelling,” the Pakistan Army spokesperson told the foreign media outlet, adding that the visit was pre-planned and “primarily military affairs oriented”.

    However, reports had said that while the two countries are traditionally close and Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis, Riyadh is irked by criticism from Islamabad that Saudi Arabia has been lukewarm on the Kashmir territorial dispute, motivating COAS Bajwa’s fence-building visit Sunday.

    Meanwhile, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari publicly criticised Qureshi, saying his statements had let down both the Kashmiris and PM Imran.

    While her statement was seen as the first step to replace Qureshi in a bid to pacify the Saudis, it suggests that the Imran Khan government is publicly distancing itself from the actions and statements of the incumbent foreign minister.

    If there is any truth to the claims, it won’t be the first time cash-strapped Pakistan will be prioritising relations with Saudi Arabia, as most recently, Islamabad had also pulled out of a Muslim nations’ forum in Malaysia at the last minute on insistence by Riyadh, which saw the gathering as an attempt to challenge its leadership of the OIC.

    Saudia Arabia had already made Pakistan pay back $1 billion two weeks ago, forcing it to borrow from another close ally, China, and Riyadh is yet to respond to Pakistan’s request to extend the oil credit facility.

  • Army chief to visit Saudi Arabia days after govt’s oops-a-daisy moment

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss regional security issues and Kashmir dispute with the Saudi leadership, as diplomatic strains occur between Islamabad and Riyadh over the Kashmir issue.

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar confirmed the visit while talking to a foreign news agency on Thursday.

    “Yes, he [Gen Bajwa] is travelling,” the Pakistan Army spokesperson told the foreign media outlet. He added that the visit is pre-planned and “primarily military affairs oriented”.

    During the visit, General Bajwa will have meetings with top Saudi leadership.

    The two countries are traditionally close and Saudi Arabia in 2018 gave Pakistan a $3 billion loan and $3.2 billion oil credit facility to help its balance of payments crisis. But Riyadh is irked by criticism from Islamabad that Saudi Arabia has been lukewarm on the Kashmir territorial dispute, motivating COAS Bajwa’s fence-building visit on Sunday.

    Pakistan has long pressed the Saudi-led Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting to highlight alleged Indian violations in the part it controls. But the OIC has only held low-level meetings so far.

    “If you cannot convene it, then I will be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told local media last week. Qureshi’s remarks angered Riyadh.

    Last year, Islamabad had pulled out of a Muslim nations’ forum in Malaysia at the last minute on insistence by Riyadh, which saw the gathering as an attempt to challenge its leadership of the OIC.

    Saudia Arabia had already made Pakistan pay back $1 billion two weeks ago, forcing it to borrow from another close ally, China, and Riyadh is yet to respond to Pakistan’s request to extend the oil credit facility.

  • VIDEO: FM Qureshi says Pakistan ready to ‘ditch’ Saudi Arabia for Kashmir’s sake

    In what appears to be a major foreign policy shift for Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has asked Saudi Arabia-led Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to stop dragging feet on the convening of a meeting of its Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on the Kashmir issue.

    “I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the CFM is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” he said while speaking to a private media outlet.

    When asked if Pakistan will “move forward” with or without Saudi Arabia, the foreign minister said, “with or without…”. In response to another question, he said Pakistan could not wait any further.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    According to Dawn, Pakistan has been pushing for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, which is the second-largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations (UN), since India annexed occupied Kashmir in August 2019.

    Qureshi had at an earlier presser explained the importance of CFM for Pakistan. He had then said that it was needed to send a clear message from Ummah on the Kashmir issue.

    Although there has been a meeting of the contact group on Kashmir on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York since last August and OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission has made statements on the rights abuses in the occupied valley, but no progress could be made towards the CFM meeting.

    A major reason behind the failure to call the foreign ministers’ meeting has been Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to accept Pakistan’s request for one specifically on Kashmir. Riyadh’s support is crucial for any move at the OIC, which is dominated by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.

    Qureshi said Pakistan skipped Kuala Lumpur Summit last December on Saudi request and now Pakistani Muslims, who are ready to lay down their lives for the Kingdom, are demanding of Riyadh to “show leadership on the issue”.

    “We have our own sensitivities. You have to realise this. Gulf countries should understand this,” the foreign minister said, adding that he could no more indulge in diplomatic niceties.

    “We cannot stay silent anymore on the sufferings of the Kashmiris,” he said.

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi rubbishes rumours of his death after Wikipedia page edited

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi rubbishes rumours of his death after Wikipedia page edited

    Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who contracted COVID-19 last week, has rubbished rumours of his death after his Wikipedia profile was edited, and said there was no truth to them.

    In a statement issued on Thursday, the Foreign Office (FO) said that “mischievous” elements had edited Qureshi’s profile on the site. “Many complications were created, and it caused distress to my loved ones and family members,” FM Qureshi said in a separate statement, adding that he also started receiving phone calls.

    “There is no truth to these reports, and I am doing well,” he said.

    While Qureshi did not specify the changes that were made, the page’s history showed that the edits were made on July 5 to reflect that the foreign minister had died on July 4.

    “We strongly condemn attempts by mischievous elements to hack [the] Wikipedia page of the foreign minister and spread rumours on social media about his health and well-being,” said FO spokesperson Aisha Farooqui in a tweet.

    “By the grace of Almighty Allah, [Qureshi] is recovering fast. Everyone’s prayers, from Pakistan and abroad, are deeply appreciated.”

    The FM had tested positive for coronavirus on July 3 and announced quarantining himself.

  • Fawad vows not to resign as ministers urge Imran to take action against him

    Fawad vows not to resign as ministers urge Imran to take action against him

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that politics is not for the “weak-hearted” and vowed not to resign for as long as he has the confidence of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    “I will stay on as a minister till I have the trust of Prime Minister Imran Khan. There is no question of resigning on someone else’s wish,” Fawad tweeted Thursday, referring to Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan, who had asked the federal minister to step down following the former’s claims pertaining to rifts among the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    In an interview from earlier this week, Fawad had claimed that the PTI failed to bring “tabdeeli” [change] due to the in-fighting between Asad Umar, Jahangir Tareen and Shah Mahmood Qureshi after the formation of its government, which was followed by the ouster of the political class from PM Imran’s core team.

    “This political vacuum was then filled by new and non-elected people who did not have anything to do with politics,” the minister had said while also making other explosive revelations that did not sit well with many.

    READ: Tareen got Asad Umar fired; Asad settled score by getting rid of him: Fawad Chaudhry

    With Fawad drawing criticism from his colleagues for also disclosing that the premier had warned his ministers to perform within six months, many reportedly approached PM Imran, urging him to take action against the science and technology minister.

    It was followed by the PM telling his cabinet members to maintain unity within the party. Addressing a presser after a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by PM Imran, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said that Fawad’s interview with the Voice of America came under discussion during the cabinet meeting.

    “Fawad Chaudhry’s interview was discussed in the cabinet [meeting] and the prime minister said we should maintain unity within the party,” Faraz said.

    During the cabinet meeting, the information minister said that the prime minister has instructed the ministers and party leaders not to talk about things that “affect” the party or the government.

    READ: ‘Hold your tongues’: Imran tells cabinet members to not say things that affect PTI, govt

    According to reports, the premier has now also held separate meetings with federal ministers. Those who held meetings with Imran included Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Asad Umar.

    During the meetings, the PM discussed the disorder and heat during the federal cabinet meeting.

    On the occasion, Umar and Qureshi apprised the premier on their respective positions and offered explanations.

    Umar reportedly raised before PM Imran the issue of Fawad’s statements, to which the premier directed his cabinet members to exercise caution and maintain unity.

    Vawda, on the other hand, openly criticised policies of Umar, Adviser to PM on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood as well as Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar. He also reportedly accused some people of “conspiring from within the cabinet”.

    “There is a game being played here and we cannot sit silent,” he said, adding that people thought that they had become the prime minister.

  • ‘Hold your tongues’: Imran tells cabinet members to not say things that affect PTI, govt

    ‘Hold your tongues’: Imran tells cabinet members to not say things that affect PTI, govt

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has told his cabinet members to maintain unity within the party, a day after Federal Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in an interview that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was failing to bring promised change due to a lack of political leadership amid rifts among leaders such as Jahangir Khan Tareen, Planning Minister Asad Umar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

    Addressing a presser after a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by PM Imran, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said that Fawad’s interview with the Voice of America came under discussion during the cabinet meeting.

    “Fawad Chaudhry’s interview was discussed in the cabinet [meeting] and the prime minister said we should maintain unity within the party,” Faraz said.

    In the interview, Fawad had said there were rifts among Tareen, Umar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, which hurt the party and forced the PTI’s “political class” to part ways.

    “As soon as the PTI government was formed, quarrels among Qureshi, Umar and Tareen began. Tareen used his influence to get Umar removed from the cabinet and later Umar got Tareen out,” Fawad had said.

    During the cabinet meeting, the information minister said that the premier has instructed the ministers and party leaders not to talk about things that “affect” the party or the government.

    Faraz also spoke about a recent interview of Climate Change Minister Zartaj Gul in which she said that Covid-19 means that the virus has 19 points that can be applied to any country based on its respective immunity levels.

    Her remarks were widely shared on social media and she was criticised for not knowing that Covid-19 is actually an acronym for the coronavirus.

    “It was a slip of the tongue and people make mistakes,” the information minister said, referring to Gul’s remarks. “It should not have happened and I completely agree with you.”

    The information minister said that Gul is an “outstanding” minister “who is doing great work”.

    “We should ignore the mistakes because people make mistakes,” Faraz added.

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi in self-isolation after China return

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi in self-isolation after China return

    Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who on Wednesday morning returned from his trip to Beijing, has confirmed that he is in self-isolation as per instructions of the Pakistani government.

    Speaking to SAMAA TV, FM Qureshi, who was accompanied by President Arif Alvi and Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, said that he had self-isolated himself since the government had advised everyone returning from abroad to self-isolate in case they had contracted the new coronavirus — COVID-19.

    “Before leaving we did a swab test here and when we landed, Chinese officials took our blood samples. They both came back negative and we took another blood test after our meeting with President Xi Jinping. The results of the second test haven’t come back yet,” the minister said.

    However, he decided to isolate himself as a precaution for a few days. “My only interactions are over the phone,” he said, adding that he would undergo another swab test within five days. “I am going to follow protocol.”

    The delegation had on Monday reached China on a two-day visit at the invitation of the Chinese president.

    It was warmly welcomed by Chinese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Han Changfu, Pakistan Ambassador to China Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi and other senior officials of the Chinese government as well as the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing.

    Other than signing multiple agreements to enhance cooperation between the two countries, the visit was aimed at expressing solidarity with China amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

  • Aneel Mussarat didn’t get a selfie with Manmohan but guess who all he did get one with

    Aneel Mussarat didn’t get a selfie with Manmohan but guess who all he did get one with

    One of PM Khan’s best friends, UK millionaire Aneel Mussarat is incredibly fond of taking selfies – whether the person with him knows or not. Aneel was also present at the Kartarpur Inauguration and in a widely circulated video of Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Aneel is seen trying to take a selfie with Manmohan and is pushed aside by Manmohan’s guards.

    WATCH: Imran’s aide ridiculed by Manmohan’s guards

    If Aneel couldn’t get Manmohan he did find others.

    CM Punjab Usman Buzdar is all smiles (as smiley as he can get) for a picture with Aneel.

    Doesn’t qualify as a selfie but he got a money shot

    The picture with Indian Actor Sunny Deol isn’t a selfie but at least he got one big shot Indian in his stash of selfies on this trip

    The Bus Selfie with the PM and the foreign minister and is that Navjot Sidhu behind Imran Khan?

    Standing on the bus

    A smiling foreign minister on the side and the PM on the left, Aneel covered all the stars in this trip.

  • Heated argument mars Qureshi’s interview with Javed Chaudhry

    Heated argument mars Qureshi’s interview with Javed Chaudhry

    A heated argument marred Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s interview with journalist Javed Chaudhry during the latter’s television talk show, “Kal Tak”.

    The discussion turned into a spat when Qureshi was asked about the resolution that Pakistan was going to submit at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against India on Kashmir.

    The minister said that it was not their plan to submit the resolution and were only monitoring the situation, adding that they “would not make any decision under pressure of social media or tweets”.

    “It was you [and your government] who were tweeting”, the journalist said in response, adding that even Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had mentioned the UN resolution and 58 countries supporting Pakistan.

    Hearing this, FM Qureshi got riled up and demanded to see the tweets, printed copies of which were also presented to the minster.

    Agitated over Javed, Qureshi also said, “I still own it.” He further asked Javed Chaudhary, “Are you sitting here with a fixed agenda?”

    Earlier in a tweet, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PM Imran had said that Pakistan got a historic joint statement on behalf of over 50 countries to the UN Human Rights Council.

    Qureshi, in the interview, however, appeared to be oblivious of the tweets made from his verified handle.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB9JD__xDhc
  • Kashmir crisis not Muslim Ummah’s issue, UAE had told Pakistan; claims Hamid Mir

    Kashmir crisis not Muslim Ummah’s issue, UAE had told Pakistan; claims Hamid Mir

    United Arab Emirates (UAE) had said that Pakistan and India should not make the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) crisis an issue of the Muslim Ummah as it was a dispute between two neighbouring countries, The News International reported Thursday.

    According to reports, senior journalist Hamid Mir on Wednesday quoted federal government officials as saying that UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is visiting Pakistan apparently to express solidarity with Pakistan on the IoK issue.

    However, the foreign minister, in his earlier interaction with Pakistani authorities, conveyed that Kashmir issue should not be made an issue of the Muslim Ummah as, according to him, it is a bilateral issue and should be resolved through talks between Pakistan and India.

    The report quoted Mir as saying that Pakistani leadership must convey to the world in general and the Muslim countries in particular that Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s atrocities were not limited to the troubled valley, rather he wanted to unleash a reign of terror across India to forcibly convert Muslims.

    In this context, he added, the Kashmir issue was not a dispute only between Pakistan and India.