ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to multilateral cooperation for preserving peace, preventing conflict and realising the sustainable development goals (SDGs), Radio Pakistan reported.
Addressing a virtual high-level replenishment conference held for the United Nations secretary general’s peace-building fund, he also announced a token contribution of $25,000 for the fund.
“The pledge underscores Pakistan’s longstanding political, human and financial commitment to UN’s endeavours in peacekeeping and peace-building,” he said.
The foreign minister said as a major troop and police-contributing country, Pakistan took pride in its rich UN peacekeeping history.
“Over the last 60 years, Pakistan’s peacekeepers have represented the blue flag in 46 UN Missions across four continents of the world,” he said.
Separately, speaking to the media at Parliament House, Qureshi rejected any possibility of holding bilateral trade with India until the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
“Kashmir is not an internal issue of India but an internationally recognised dispute,” the foreign minsiter asserted, adding Pakistan had raised the issue of occupied Kashmir at international fora, including the UN.
Regarding Afghanistan, Qureshi said there was no military solution to the Afghan issue and comprehensive dialogue was the only way forward.
“Priorities of the new US administration are in line with our vision we will continue to work for peace with it,” he said.
