China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: US claims about loans, their impact on economy rejected: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday said the process of transparent accountability would continue in the country. Talking to media here, he said no one wanted to face accountability process, and whenever people were held accountable, they attempt to create hindrances in the way of the accountability process.

Responding to a question about Asif Ali Zardari's trial in Rawalpindi, Qureshi said the matter was sub judice. He, however, said Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was in government in Sindh and it was not cooperating in transparent accountability process.

To another question about ex-premier Nawaz Sharif's health and Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement about that, Qureshi said he could not comment on the issue, adding the health ministry could answer in a better way. The foreign minister said Islamabad had categorically rejected Washington's claims about loans and their impact on the Pak economy in the wake of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said Pakistan had expedited the CPEC projects and launched its second phase. Qureshi said China's share in Pakistan's overall debt burden was small. However, the mega projects would have a positive impact on the national economy.

"Pakistan's total debt burden is $74 billion, of which CPEC is only $4.9bn. CPEC is a game-changer for the entire region and there is no restriction on any country, including the USA, to invest in the special economic zones, being established under CPEC," added Qureshi.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said India was violating human rights in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It had imposed curfew and other restrictions for the last 112 days and people had no access to food, medicines, internet and other items of daily use. Pakistan would continue to raise the issue at international forums, he added.

Qureshi said the Jammu and Kashmir's situation was analysed in a meeting of Kashmir Cell at the Foreign Office and different stakeholders including Chairman Kashmir Committee Fakhar Imam participated in the meeting. Qureshi said another meeting would be held soon in which some recommendations would be presented. Prime Minister Imran Khan would chair the meeting.

The foreign minister maintained that they would invite opposition parties in the meeting as all political parties had unanimous stance on Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. There would be engagements on diplomatic, legal and political fronts in future, added Qureshi.

The incumbent government would come up with a new strategy to highlight human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir before the international community. Qureshi said the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was raised at House of Representatives and the US Congress by Rashida Talib. In a resolution, presented in the US Congress, it was demanded that curfew in occupied Jammu and Kashmir should be lifted immediately, violation of human rights should be stopped, and detained political leaders and workers should be released immediately.

The foreign minister said Pakistan registered its protest with Norway on the issue of Holy Quran desecration. Pakistan have expressed its concerns and demanded that the culprit involved in desecration of Quran should be punished and the young man who attempted to stop the desecrator should be released immediately.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2019