MULTAN, Dec 22 (APP)::Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that the foreign ministry would organise a conference of 11 countries’ envoys on Dec 27-28 to bring foreign investment to the country.
Talking to the media after inauguration of annual exhibition of Gul-e-Dawoodi by Parks and Horticulture
Authority (PHA) here at Qasim Bagh, Qureshi said government’s prudent policies were yielding positive results.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan, Finance Minister Asad Umar and PM’s Advisor on
Commerce, Textiles, Industries and Investment, Abdul Razzaq Dawood would present their economic vision
at the two-day conference.
He said that the incumbent government was taking practical steps
for strengthening economy, adding that packages from China, Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Malaysia, announced recently, were a
testimony to this fact.
He added that the country was witnessing
remarkable successes on foreign affairs front since the PTI government
took over the charge.
He said that Saudi Arabia had announced about US$12 billion package
for Pakistan.
Qureshi maintained that Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is likely
to visit Pakistan in February 2019 and Crown Prince of UAE would
also visit Pakistan in the first week of January 2019.
He said that there would be more good news during these visits.
FM Qureshi added that country had sufficient resources and
the packages from friendly countries would help Pakistan overpower
economic problems.
The minister said that the IMF used to award loans on
hard conditions in past, but they had to show some relaxation
in terms and conditions.
He stated that the PTI-led government was committed to
establishment of south Punjab as separate province but there were administrative and
legislative requirements.
He informed that a
sub-secretariat would be established in south Punjab soon.
He furhter said that officers concerned and offices would be made available in
the areas to resolve public issues at their doorsteps.
Qureshi said that separate budget would be announced for south
Punjab to end the sense of deprivation among people
of the area.
He lamented that the past governments used to transfer
funds allocated for south Punjab to Lahore.
He said that there would be no political point scoring on
the issue of south Punjab. He added that he had talked to PPP Chairman
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for their
supports in establishment of a separate province.
FM Qureshi further said that the incumbent government was making relentless efforts
to eliminate corruption from the country.
He said that he met the president of Afghanistan Ashraf
Ghani, Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and others during his
recent visit to Afghanistan in which different matters were discussed
for better peace process in their country.
He said that Pakistan
would continue playing the role of a facilitator for peace process
in Afghanistan, adding that the United States of America had also
reviewed its policy and there was some development on the issue.
The minister informed that human rights were being violated in Indian-held
Kashmir and Pakistan has raised the issue at every platform.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also conveyed his
concerns to Secretary General United Nation to stop brutalities
in Kashmir.
Qureshi said that the use of power is no solution to Kashmir
issue, but only dialogue.
He said that he has also wrote a letter to the OIC Secretary
General to condemn brutalities in held Kashmir.
To a question, Qureshi said that the cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif
were in the court.
He had been given various
chances for presenting evidence of his innocence in the court.
He said that country’s courts were independent and their decisions
should be accepted by everyone.
He also termed the news of exchange of Aafia Siddique with
Shakeel Afridi baseless and false.
On the occasion, Chairman PHA Ejaz Hussain Janjua, Director
General PHA Ali Akbar Bhatti, PTI’s local leadership and party
workers were also present.
