MULTAN: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Imran Khan is the prime minister of the country and he (Qureshi) is not willing to become the prime minister.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the allied parties agree with him (Mr Khan) being the prime minister. I am not a candidate for the premiership and I have no such desire,” he stated while replying to a question of the media persons here on Friday.

The minister said the protest by the opposition would create chaos which would damage the country and hamper democracy.

“Inflation in the country is the continuity transferred by the previous governments. If the opposition thinks that its protest could help harness dearness, it should hold protest. But if there are protests in the country, how will the investment take place? The protest is even not in favour of the opposition as well,” Mr Qureshi said.

He said the opposition should avoid taking such steps as would damage the country.

The minister asked the opposition whether the protest would strengthen the economy and national institutions.

Says opposition’s protest won’t harness inflation but would create chaos

“We should see which elements want chaos at the behest of international forces. We want to bring investment in the country while protest-like acts of the opposition will damage it,” he warned.

Mr Qureshi blamed the international powers for deteriorating the situation in Waziristan, saying the opposition should see who wanted instability in the region.

He rejected the reports that the cut in the defence budget was being done because of the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Defence budget is the need of the nation. The Pak army voluntarily reduced its budget while keeping in view the country’s financial conditions,” he made it clear.

He suggested to PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif to return to the country and face the cases against him.

Earlier, talking to the media on the Eid day, the minister for foreign affairs said the country was facing multiple challenges, including extremism and external and internal unrest. He called for the nation to be united against these challenges, saying that the country was in safe hands.

“Pakistan is willing to have friendly and peaceful relations with all countries as it wants peace in the region.”

The minister asked the Indian government to protect the rights of the Muslims in India as they were in minority there. In comparison to India, he made it clear that Pakistan, being an Islamic country, provided protection to the minorities and they were free to live their lives in the country according to their beliefs.

He said that for the first time, the Kashmir issue was highlighted at the international level while Pakistan would continue supporting the Kashmiri people.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2019