India neither ready to hold talks, nor accept mediation on Kashmir issue: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that India is neither ready to hold talks bilaterally with Pakistan on Kashmir dispute nor does it accept third party mediation.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Qureshi said, “Kashmir is a disputed territory and any demographic changes in occupied Kashmir will not be acceptable to Pakistan as well as Kashmiri people.”

Responding to a question regarding the Afghan peace process, the foreign minister said, Pakistan is not a guarantor but only a facilitator in the Afghan peace process.

“The entire onus of the Afghan peace process cannot be put on Pakistan,” Qureshi said, adding that Pakistan maintains that it is the shared responsibility of all the stakeholders to take forward the peace process.

Qureshi added, Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to have a meeting with the Taliban to woo them for the intra-Afghan dialogue.

He added Pakistan is moving forward in good faith. “The convergence was seen on Afghan issue during a meeting between PM Imran and the US President Donald Trump.”

This has opened a new chapter in Pakistan-US relations, he added.

Qureshi further said the US visit remained very successful in achieving the objectives and this stands also reflected in the restoration of suspended assistance.

Moreover, the foreign minister said a conference of African envoys will be organised at the foreign office after the UN General Assembly session in September.

“Our aim is to prepare a far-reaching Look Africa Policy to improve trade and economic relations with the African countries,” Qureshi said.

The foreign minister added, the commerce advisor has also taken a very important decision of shifting the commercial consulars in Europe to the African countries in order to exploit the trade potential with this important continent.