Pakistan not ready to recognise Israel till Palestine issue resolved, UAE told

• Pakistan under no pressure to recognise Israel, says Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
• He believes the UAE visa issue is temporary
• Pakistan is irreplaceable for UAE, the FM said.

MULTAN: Pakistan has apprised the Emirati leadership of its position on Israel and stressed that Islamabad will not recognise Tel Aviv until the Palestine issue is resolved. 

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi denied any pressure on Pakistan to recognise Israel in a media talk in Multan Monday.

He said the Emirati leadership apprised him of their position during his recent official visit to the United Arab Emirates. “I briefed them on our Israel-Palestine policy,” he said, adding that Pakistan will not establish ties with Israel until a lasting solution for the conflict is agreed on.

Read our coverage of FM Qureshi's UAE visit

Qureshi said Islamabad will make decisions in Pakistan's interests. 

On the matter of visas, the foreign minister insisted it is a temporary issue which will be resolved soon.

He emphasised that the Emirati leadership believes there can be no substitute for Pakistan. "Neither does the UAE nor the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia perceive New Delhi as a replacement for Islamabad," he said.

The foreign minister said he discussed at length the Kashmir conflict with the Emirati leadership and pointed out similarities with the Palestine issue. He exchanged views on the Afghan peace process and appraised UAE on the recent Taliban Political Commission visit to Islamabad.

Read more: FM Qureshi discusses welfare of Pakistani diaspora in the UAE with Dubai minister

The foreign minister condemned India for trying to hurt Pakistan every chance it gets and cited the EU Disinfo Lab’s latest expose on Indian-backed fake NGOs and the news website's strategy to defame and discredit Pakistan.