MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said Pakistan enjoys good relations with Saudi Arabia and the leadership of both countries will continue visiting each other.

Talking to the media here on Saturday, Mr Qureshi said the relations with the kingdom would remain friendly. He said political parties of India-held Kashmir had turned against Delhi and the Indian policy on Kashmir had badly failed.

He regretted that India, which claimed its people enjoyed religious freedom, imposed a ban on taking out Muharram processions in occupied Kashmir.

“A ban has been imposed on all types of Muharram gatherings in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government has deprived the people of Kashmir of their rights,” he said.

The foreign minister said the Pakistan Army and the government were standing with the Kashmiri people and supporting their right to self-determination.

“My request to speakers at the Muharram gatherings is that they should also mention the hardship the Kashmiri people are facing at the hands of Indian forces in their speeches,” he said.

He said India had failed to get Pakistan included in the black list of the the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) despite making efforts.

He claimed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had prepared the draft laws related to FATF in consultation with the opposition. However, he regretted the opposition voted in favour of the bills in the National Assembly, but opposed the same in the Senate.

He said the water level in the reservoirs of the country was increasing and there were chances of flood.

“There was a flood-like situation is Balochistan and the federal government will provide all kinds of support to the province’s government in this regard,” he said.

He said the Sindh government was responsible for the urban flooding in Karachi.

Mr Qureshi said Shahbaz Sharif was the guarantor of Nawaz Sharif, and he should ensure return of the former prime minister from London as now his (Nawaz’s) condition was better.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2020