Islamabad: In yet another provocative move, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke to hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and discussed the Kashmir issue, the Foreign Office said here on Sunday, days after he made a similar phone call to a separatist leader that angered India. The Foreign Office in a statement said Qureshi and Geelani discussed about an international conference to be held in London to “express solidarity with the Kashmiri people”.
“Foreign Minister QureshI spoke to the senior leadership of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference on telephone before his departure for London to attend international activities to be held there in connection with the Kashmir Day,” the statement said. Qureshi on Tuesday telephoned Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and discussed with him Islamabad’s efforts to highlight the Kashmir issue.
Talking to media in Multan on Saturday, Qureshi said Pakistan has no intention to interfere in India’s internal matters and New Delhi should not make an issue out of his telephonic conversation with Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz. Qureshi said that Pakistan has no intention to interfere in the internal matters of India, but New Delhi should also stop blaming Islamabad for its problems. “We want to resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue but India is making undue hue and cry,” Qureshi said.
“Issues are emerging in India but Pakistan has no role in that,” he said. Qureshi said that he would highlight Pakistan’s view point on Kashmir issue at an event in the House of Common in London this week. The Foreign Office also issued Qureshi’s statement before his departure to London in which he was quoted as saying that Kashmir is an “important pillar” of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
