Tag foreign minister

ISLAMABAD:(media92news) Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is set to reach Beijing on Monday (today) to attend first Pakistan-China foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue.
During his three-day visit to China, both sides will hold comprehensive discussions on the entire range of bilateral relations, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both sides will also discuss the regional situation and cooperation at multilateral fora.
The foreign minister will also address the Political Parties Forum on the CPEC and participate in the ruling parties’ dialogue between the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the Communist Party of China. He will also call on Chinese leadership.
According to an official statement, the foreign minister’s visit will add momentum to close and broad-based bilateral ties and reinforce efforts to deepen economic engagement under the CPEC.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons, Mr Qureshi said that his visit to China had been scheduled ­earlier.
Replying to a question about China’s latest favour to Pakistan, he said that China had once again proved that it stood by Pakistan.
Last week China put on hold a request by Britain, France and the United States to add Jaish-e-Mohammad leader Masood Azhar to the United Nations’ terror blacklist. It was the third time that the UN Security Council had taken up a resolution to include Azhar’s name in the UN sanctions blacklist, which will subject him to global travel ban and freezing of assets.

ISLAMABAD:( Media 92 News) Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir will arrive in Islamabad today on a day-long official visit.

The Saudi foreign minister will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi during the visit to discuss bilateral matters and regional situation.

Al-Jubeir was scheduled to arrive in Islamabad last week, however he had delayed his visit. The reason behind the change in the schedule was not stated.

Qureshi had said Al-Jubeir was coming to Pakistan with an important message from Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Last month, the Saudi crown prince had visited Pakistan. In his joint press conference with Prime Minister Imran Khan before departing, MbS had said, “It feels home in Pakistan…. We believe in Pakistan’s future, we believe that Pakistan has huge opportunities. In 2030, Pakistan will be next to two huge economies, China and India.”

“Pakistan will definitely benefit from these neighbours, there’s great leadership to put Pakistan in the right position and we can see that happening, because in 2018, Pakistani economy grew by 5 per cent. So we believe that Pakistan has huge potential and I believe it could be one of the 20 biggest economies in future.”

ISLAMABAD:(Media 92 News) Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s official visit to Japan has been postponed.

According to sources, the foreign minister was scheduled to leave for Japan on a four-day official visit starting today (Sunday) till February 27. The visit has reportedly been postponed after consultations with the authorities in Japan.

Qureshi was scheduled to hold important discussions and meetings with various Japanese dignitaries including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Kono. He was also set to deliver a speech at Japan Institute of International Affairs and interact with Japanese intelligentsia.

The new schedule of the foreign minister’s visit to Japan would be announced soon, the sources said.

Japan, a key economic partner of Pakistan, has made important contributions in supporting Pakistan’s development efforts over the years. It was expected that the visit would provide an opportunity to both sides to discuss bilateral relations in detail as well as issues of regional and global importance.

KABUL: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday.

A one-on-one meeting took place between FM Qureshi and the Afghan president at the Presidential Palace in Kabul. FM Qureshi is in Kabul on the first leg of his four-nation visit as part of the government’s policy of outreach in the neighbourhood

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Earlier today, the foreign minister held delegation level talks with his counterpart FM Salahuddin Rabbani.

During the talks, also attended by their respective delegations, “issues of mutual interest, progress on Afghan peace and reconciliation process and economic and trade issues between the two countries were discussed.”

Both foreign ministers agreed to promote two way political, trade and cultural relations. Rabbani also apprised FM Qureshi of the positive developments in the Afghan peace process.

FM Qureshi underscored the importance to increase contacts for durable peace and stability in the region. “Pakistan has always stood for peace and security in Afghanistan,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Afghan foreign minister appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for bringing peace in his country.

Speaking to the media before his departure, the foreign minister said Pakistan wants peace and stability in the region. “The aim of my visit is to take the friendly countries into confidence on recent developments in the region,” he said.

“We should understand each other’s problems and sit together to find a solution to them,” FM Qureshi.

The foreign minister further said, “All regional forces would have to take joint responsibility for the sake of lasting peace and development in the region.”

The foreign minister will also visit Iran, China and Russia from December 24 to 26.

According to a press release issued by the Foreign Office, Qureshi will discuss Pakistan’s bilateral relations with senior leadership of the four countries, to strengthen cooperation in various areas. Implementing the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan is eager to strengthen ties with neighbours and regional partners.

The officials will also exchange views on the fast-changing regional and international environment. Recent developments concerning peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan will also be discussed during these meetings.

Pakistan has always maintained that the solution to the conflict in Afghanistan lies in an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. The International community’s recent consensus to adopt this as the guiding principle to resolve the 40-years old Afghan conflict, vindicates Pakistan’s long held view, the press release said.

The visit is part of promoting various initiatives and ideas for regional cooperation, especially in promoting economic and people-to-people linkages.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif mocked Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement where he said a leader who does not take “U-turns” according to the requirements of the situation is not a real leader. Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif on Saturday mocked Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement where he said a leader who does not take “U-turns” according to the requirements of the situation is not a real leader.

“Imran Khan will take a U-turn on his U-turn statement as well. Please wait it won’t be before long,” the former foreign minister tweeted.

Asif is not the first one to criticise the PM for his statement.

Reacting to the prime minister’s statement, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Khursheed Shah on Friday said, “Imran Khan is Hitler and is taking U-turns to avoid losses.”

“He [PM Imran Khan] has made it clear and told the nation that he is Hitler,” Shah added.
PM Imran informed the nation he is Hitler: Shah

According to the PPP leader, the prime minister was also sending a message that Hitler had failed because he did not take a U-turn while he would be successful as he would.

“No Hitler, who was also a dictator, has ever been successful in history,” Shah asserted.

In a meeting with senior journalists, Prime Minister Imran said a leader who does not know how to take U-turns according to the requirements of the situation is not a real leader.

The premier citing an example from his cricket days when he led Pakistan’s national team and said, “We used to make a strategy and then step out into the field but if the opponent team formed a strategy against ours then we would have to change it.”

Speaking to Geo News, senior journalist Mazhar Barlas who attended the meeting with PM Imran said that the premier also referred to Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte and said, “Hitler and Napoleon suffered huge defeats and caused losses as they did not take U-turns.”

“If you are walking and there is a wall in front of you, then you will have to change and find another way,” the senior journalist further quoted PM Imran as explaining. “A leader who does not know how to take U-turns is not successful,” the prime minister added.

This will be PM Imran Khan’s first official visit to China after assuming office in August this year/file photo
ISLAMABAD/BEIJING: Prime Minister Imran Khan will depart for Beijing today for a five-day visit during which he will hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and other leaders.

The premier was earlier scheduled to visit China from November 2 to 5 on the invitation of the Chinese leadership. But an updated schedule of the prime minister’s visit released by the government said the prime minister would now depart a day earlier via a special plane.

This will be PM Imran’s first official visit to China after assuming office in August this year. A high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, will accompany the prime minister.

The Foreign Office, in a statement earlier, said the two sides will review the entire range of bilateral relations during the visit, which have enjoyed a long history of mutual trust and mutual support. The two leaderships will also sign several agreements in diverse fields.

PM Imran is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 2. He will visit the Monument to the People’s Heroes at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and also meet the chairman of the National People’s Congress on November 3.

He will meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang the same day at a ceremony during which the two leaders will sign memorandums of agreements between the two countries.

Pakistan and China are ‘all-weather strategic cooperative partners’: FM Qureshi

A guard of honour will also be given in honour of the Pakistani premier.

On November 4, the PM will speak at the Central Party School before leaving for Shanghai to participate in the first China International Import Expo. The premier will be a keynote speaker at the inauguration of the expo, and among 18 heads of state and government who will be attending the expo.

More than 2,800 companies from 130 countries and regions, and 160,000 buyers from over 80,000 Chinese and foreign companies will participate in the expo.

PM Imran’s visit to promote further development of bilateral ties: Chinese spokesperson
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said China and Pakistan attached great importance to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s upcoming visit and believed that, with joint efforts of both sides, it would promote further development of relations between the all-weather strategic partners.

“This is his first official visit to China since Prime Minister Imran Khan took office, in which, the leaders of the two countries will conduct in-depth exchanges on issues of common concern,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said during his regular briefing in Beijing.

The spokesperson said China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic partners. The relationship between the two countries was not affected by the changes in the international situation and the changes in their respective domestic situations, he added.

To a question that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had caused some debt problems to Pakistan, the spokesperson reiterated that the Pakistani government and all sectors of society had expressed that the corridor served as a mutually beneficial cooperation project between China and Pakistan and had played an important role in improving people’s livelihood and promoting economic development in Pakistan.

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov speaks during his meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, China. Photo: Reuters
ISLAMABAD: Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for a one-day visit.

According to the foreign office spokesperson, the Uzbek FM will have a one to one meeting with FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi followed by delegation level talks, Radio Pakistan reported.

Further, Kamilov is expected to call on Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan enjoy a close and cordial relationship founded on mutual trust and understanding and augmented by strong cultural and religious affinities.

A day earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Khonsari met with PM Imran and FM Qureshi to discuss relations between the two countries and matters of mutual interest.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa during his one-day visit to Islamabad. Photo; ISPR Twitter

RAWALPINDI: Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.

“Matters of mutual interest including regional security issues were discussed in the meeting,” the statement released by the military’s media wing added.

“Pakistan will continue to positively contribute towards regional peace and stability,” the COAS said.

(Net News/ Media 92 News) According to sources, the Qatari FM will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his one-day visit to Islamabad.

The Pakistani and Qatari counterparts will hold talks in the foreign office, sources added.

Further, PM Imran is expected to undertake a second visit to Saudi Arabia on October 23.

The premier will tour Saudi Arabia for a day before his visit to China next month. He is expected to hold talks on economic cooperation with Saudi officials during his visit.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi Thursday said Pakistan desired to further intensify bilateral cooperation with Tajikistan in all fields as both the countries were key partners in the region.

He said so in a meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 17th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government Meeting being held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Qureshi congratulated the Tajik premier for the successful convening of the meeting in the beautiful city of Dushanbe, a Foreign Office statement said.

The foreign minister conveyed the greetings and warm wishes of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the Tajik prime minister.

The two sides discussed issues of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern and agreed to strengthen and enhance cooperation in the area of trade and investments.

Noting regular political and parliamentary exchanges, Qureshi underlined the importance of closer economic and investment ties and reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for further intensifying bilateral cooperation in all fields.

The two sides agreed that bilateral security and defence cooperation was developing satisfactorily and noted the progress on CASA-1000 project and agreed on fast tracking its implementation.

He extended the invitation to Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.

Pakistan was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Tajikistan soon after its independence.

The bilateral relations between the two countries are based on mutual respect, shared interests and brotherhood and have been growing positively and steadily over the years.