US didn't take clear position in Indian missile incident: FM Qureshi

• Qureshi urges India to provide information regarding the specification, route, and trajectory of the missile.
  
• "Opposition's alliance will soon break as their ideology and destination are not the same," Qureshi says.
• He says the public gathering to be held at D-Chowk on March 27 will be peaceful.
  

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that the United States Department of State did not take a clear position on the recent incident of Indian violation of Pakistani airspace by launching a projectile into Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference, the foreign minister urged India to provide information regarding the specification, route, and trajectory of the missile.

He questioned why India remained silent until Pakistan demanded an answer, adding that the aftermath of the missile could trigger a war between the two nuclear-armed countries.

The foreign minister termed India’s investigation on the matter as “insufficient” and mentioned that China had also raised the issue and called for an investigation.

Qureshi mentioned his telephonic conversation with the United Nations secretary-general about the Indian missile fired towards Pakistan, where concern was expressed on the situation.

He said he had also written a letter to the UN secretary-general and the president of the Security Council in this regard.

The minister said Pakistan had no aggressive designs against any country, however, he stressed that it would continue to highlight the issue of acts of terrorism against it.

OIC meeting is being held at a crucial time: FM Qureshi

Moreover, Qureshi said Pakistan would act as a bridge to promote unity among the Muslim countries and contribute towards finding a way together on common issues facing the Islamic world.

He mentioned that Pakistan believed the meeting was being held at a crucial time, adding that “we need to make the Muslim voice heard at the international arena”.

“Pakistan wants to promote unity among Muslims on this occasion and address other issues, particularly Islamophobia and hate speech,” he said, ahead of the OIC meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) on March 22-24.

Qureshi mentioned that so far, 48 confirmations had been received from the OIC member countries and added that 100 resolutions were expected to be tabled and agreed upon during the OIC-CFM meeting.

The proposed theme of the 48th session, “Partnering for Unity, Justice and Development” fully encapsulates these priorities. We will seek to build partnerships across the Islamic world, and build bridges of cooperation to address the myriad of challenges confronting the Ummah,” he said.

Qureshi said the OIC had taken a very firm stand on the issue of Palestine and Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

A meeting of the Kashmir Contact Group will also be held on the sidelines of the OIC-CFM meeting, where Pakistan would present observational reports on Kashmir, he said.

“Pakistan intends to get a ministerial resolution passed on the issue of IoK,” he said.

'Opposition's alliance is a temporary bubble'

Separately, speaking to journalists, Qureshi termed the unity of the Opposition a “temporary bubble."

Qureshi said their alliance will soon break as their ideology and destination are not the same and that they only want to remove Prime Minister Imran.

Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, he said the public gathering to be held at D-Chowk on March 27 will be peaceful and the premier will share his point of view with the public.

Read more: GDA assures Imran Khan of complete support in no-trust motion

He revealed that PM Khan wants to share some things with the nation to gain their confidence and the public gathering is “not a protest like the other political parties [are holding].”

Referring to the no-confidence motion submitted by the Opposition, he said that the PTI-led government will fight the no-confidence motion in a political and democratic way.

Qureshi further told the media persons that PTI has no intention to intimidate members of Parliament. “PPP carried out their long march without any hurdles and the government will not stop Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM),” he said.

Read more: PDM chief Fazlur Rehman calls on entire nation to 'march' towards Islamabad on March 23

“The Opposition is claiming to have numbers. However, if their numbers are complete, when are they staging a sit-in in Islamabad?” he asked, adding that there is chaos in the ranks of Opposition parties.

The foreign minister said that the Opposition does not have a plan for the future.

"[They don't know] what would be the set-up, what would be the term for the new government or who would be the prime minister.

"Bhant bhant ki boli aur chu chu ka murabba hai (Big claims and no substantial outcome)," FM Qureshi reiterated.

He criticised the joint Opposition by saying that neither does the alliance have a single destination nor a flag. "Would PML-N give the prime minister's seat to Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari or PPP to Shahbaz Sharif?" he asked.

The foreign minister said that people are well aware of the reality of the Opposition, adding that people understand that the alliance of three bigwigs of the Opposition is temporary.