Former foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)Chairman Imran Khan agreed the possibility that they could contest the upcoming polls under a united platform for the sake of national interest and making Pakistan safe.
Talking with a private TV channel, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said I have no objection in joining PTI because the thinking of his and Imran Khan is similar on many issues of national importance. We can become united for the sake of national interest and to make country safe, he said.
He said month of July is very important for Pakistan because United States will start its forces withdrawal in July and heated discussions are taking place in this regard but Pakistan does not have a foreign minister. Pak-India talks are also underway; the uproar against Pakistan nuclear arsenal is going on throughout the world but Pakistan doesn’t have any representative to communicate to the outer world, Qureshi said.
He said as a foreign minister he told the Americans that they are unaware of ground level change in Pakistan. Now Pakistan has democracy and Parliament but you are used to deal with a dictator, Qureshi said.
Parliament has already passed a resolution against the drone attacks in the country and public emotions are rising against these attacks so you would have to change your strategy by transferring the drone technology to Pakistan, but if you keep on increasing these strikes it will only mount destruction by turning people against you, he said.
He questioned if Pak Army is against these drone attacks then where is the hindrance. Then obviously Chief Executive is the obstacle in stopping these attacks, he predicted.
Qureshi said President should analyze the people sentiment at this crucial juncture and if he won’t do it he will face damage the trust in him placed by the people. President is representing a party and people would decide in the upcoming polls, he said. If President is going to rule through vote then he would have to respect the people sentiments, he said.
He said government would have to review its ongoing policy now and talk to the other countries in the region to tackle the problem of growing terrorism and understand that after all someone is providing the funds and arms to the terrorists. He said Afghanistan would have to stand on its feet, how long it will continue to suffer through Americans.
Replying to a question, he said if Parliament resolution is not implemented upon it will only boost the tension in the people. If this tension rose further people can lead to roads for protest, he said.
While Imran Khan offered Qureshi Prime Minister Post if he joins PTI and it also wins the upcoming polls. He said the drone attacks are allowed by the rulers who are brought to the power through NRO. US always bring the corrupt people at top because they bow more to them, Imran said.
Imran questioned the National Assembly that while it is passing the resolutions and why not implementing on these resolutions, is it not the responsibility of the elected representatives to safeguard the people interest who are spending 15 thousand rupees of the public money in a single minute. SANA
