FM Qureshi says Joe Biden’s call ‘irrelevant’ now

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that a telephone call from the United States President Joe Biden to Prime Minister Imran Khan is “irrelevant” now and that Pakistan does not need it anymore. 

He was speaking on SAMAA TV’s show Nadeem Malik Live. 

“We don’t need the call anymore. Whenever required, they [the US officials] talk with us and we talk to them. We both engage each other when needed,” he said. 

“Biden is a personality. But the US has many institutions and channels of communication. They are open and we still talk to them.” 

If Biden thinks that he has domestic engagements, or if he has other priorities, we don’t have an issue with it, Qureshi said.  

“In my opinion, not engaging with Pakistan is unfeasible. The exit of the US from Afghanistan or the action against Al Qaeda … did it happen without Pakistan’s support? Even today if they want peace and stability in the region, they need Pakistan and they are cognisant of it.”

The relationship between Pakistan and the US has been improving and has scaled up, Qureshi said adding that the US has even nominated a new ambassador to Pakistan after a long time. 

He also denied the reports of a hiatus in Pakistan’s relationships with China and Saudi Arabia, calling the relationships with both countries “exemplary”. 

Nothing serious about no-confidence motion 

“It is the opposition’s constitutional right to move a no-coincidence motion. They have tried to create difficulties for us before. But they failed,” the PTI leader said when asked about recent political development.

“Now they are saying our coalition partners are unhappy with us. Yet, we passed the finance bill and the SBP Autonomy act.”

“Coalition partners have needs, desires and expectations. We try to fulfil them. But saying that they will abandon us is not correct.” 

On possible fragmentation within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he said that everyone in the PTI is united behind Imran Khan. 

“His [Khan’s] stature is above every other person in the party. He founded the party. Our voters are ideologically connected to him. Anyone who leaves him will not succeed.” 

Qureshi said that people had expectations that PTI will hold corrupt people accountable, but that did not happen. 

“We did not fail [at accountability]. But the institutions that had to deliver lacked capacity. We tried out best. We have not given up.

“People see how sincere we are and what efforts were made. They are aware of the rot in the system. They saw how the status quo created hurdles for us.  

“We were ready to reform the NAB law. But the opposition wanted to decimate the institution. That’s why talks didn’t progress.” 

Economic growth exceeds expectations 

On rising inflation, Qureshi said that when people talk about economic outlook, they have to factor in the weak economy PTI inherited in 2018. The situation was compounded by the coronavirus pandemic which slowed down the economies all over the world. 

“But even in this difficult situation, we performed well. See what the World Bank, Bloomberg and The Economist are saying. The World Bank said our economy grew by 5.37 per cent last year.” 

“Our economic growth exceeded our expectations. Remittances, exports growth and tax collections are at a record level. Out voters know these things. 

“They know that if there is a gas shortage, it is because our reserves are depleting nine per cent every year.”  

TTP will be dealt with 

The foreign minister said that Pakistan will take action against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as it had done in the past. “We took strong action against them and our strategy was successful. How we cleansed our tribal areas of terrorists was appreciated by the world.” 

He said that there are “spoilers” trying to destabilise Pakistan and all such elements, including the TTP will be dealt with accordingly.

Qureshi said the Afghan Taliban are very clear that they will not allow their soil to be used against other countries. There might be some elements operating there, but the interim setup in Afghanistan is not backing them, he said.

COAS extension ‘above my paycheck’ 

Qureshi said that issue of giving an extension to the army chief is “above his paycheck.”  

“Whenever the time comes, Prime Minister Imran Khan will make this decision.” 

Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/news/2022/01/fm-qureshi-says-joe-bidens-call-irrelevant-now/