News Desk |
Washington has encouraged Pakistan to undertake “sustained and irreversible steps” to improve its bilateral relationship with India by refueling measures to eliminate militancy from the region.
Earlier this week, an unnamed official of the White House made these statements while speaking to Indian journalists in Washington, in the wake of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s renewed efforts to conduct direct negotiations with New Delhi.
FM Qureshi added that New Delhi has faced much humiliation in its attempts to enter the OIC, and the OIC did not hesitate to pass a resolution in favor of Pakistan.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mammoth win in the Indian general election earlier in May, Prime Minister Imran Khan not only congratulated him, but also dispatched two letters seeking reconciliation and improved relations between the two nuclear armed South Asian rivals.
Read more: India’s spy warfare against Pakistan
Washington Endorsing Indian Narrative?
Speaking to the Press Trust of India, a senior official of the White House stated, “What the U.S. is really looking for in Pakistan are arrests and prosecutions and not allowing terror groups to operate freely, acquire weapons, cross into India and carry out attacks.” The official added, “The U.S. is looking for sustained and irreversible steps that shut down their operations.”
Referring to PM Khan’s renewed efforts to initiate direct engagement with India and undertake action against designated “terror organizations”, the official stated, “We welcome those steps”, and added that Islamabad must undertake “practical steps” to demonstrate its measures of countering terror financing and eradicating militants.
Prime Minister Imran Khan not only congratulated him, but also dispatched two letters seeking reconciliation and improved relations between the two nuclear armed South Asian rivals.
The official stated, “We have always agreed that the underlying causes of the tensions between India and Pakistan needed to be addressed and the underlying tension has been the role of terrorist forces that have sanctuary on Pakistani soil. So we certainly encourage the creation of an environment that will lead to a dialogue.”
Read more: India Touts BrahMos as World’s Fastest Cruise Missile: Pakistan Responds with…
PM Khan Reiterates Offer for Peace
Prime Minister Khan’s second letter to Indian PM Narendra Modi clearly underscores Islamabad’s desires for peace and direct engagement to put an end to all differences, especially the issue of Kashmir. PM Khan has also agreed to engage in dialogue over New Delhi’s demands to address the issues of terrorism across the region.
PM Khan stressed that Narendra Modi must initiate dialogue between the two countries to enhance bilateral relations and work together to welcome peace, prosperity and progress in South Asia.
India and Pakistan needed to be addressed and the underlying tension has been the role of terrorist forces that have sanctuary on Pakistani soil.
However, New Delhi has repeatedly declined Islamabad’s offers for direct engagement. More recently, India has clarified that there are no chances of a bilateral meeting between PM Khan and PM Modi on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the 13th of June.
Read more: Indian security officials harass Iftar dinner guests at Pakistan High Commission
India Conspires to Blacklist Pakistan
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated that India is attempting to Push Pakistan into the blacklist with malignant and false accusations of terror sponsoring that seek to damage Islamabad’s reputation.
Addressing a ceremony in his hometown of Multan on 9th June, FM Qureshi urged that since PM Khan has assumed the Prime Ministerial office, the PTI-led administration has combatted many hurdles. He stressed that the nation stood united in the face of the recent Pak-India scuffle and added that Pakistan met Indian aggression and air space violation with a befitting and “strong response”.
PM Khan stressed that Narendra Modi must initiate dialogue to enhance bilateral relations and work together to welcome peace, prosperity and progress in South Asia.
FM Qureshi observed that the alongside the economic challenges and instability within the country, the PTI-leadership also inherited the challenge of Indian aggression. Referring to the recent wave of terrorism, he lamented that many innocent lives of civilians and security personal have been lost across the country.
Read more: Is Pakistan responsible for the heat-wave in India?
The Foreign Minister highlighted that the decisive action of the National Action Plan and PM Imran Khan’s leadership has aided in defeating the forces responsible for stirring unrest across the country. He highlighted that India is an enemy that seeks to damage and conspire against Pakistan at every single international and regional forum.
FM Qureshi added that New Delhi has faced much humiliation in its attempts to enter the OIC, and the OIC did not hesitate to pass a resolution in favor of Pakistan. FM Qureshi stressed that Kashmir is a nuclear flash point between the two south Asian rivals, and the PTI-led government has largely succeeded in its efforts to raise the issue of Kashmiri freedom on prestigious forums across the world.