MADRID – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with President of the Spanish Congress of Deputies Meritxell Batet on Tuesday to address a number of problems, including Pakistan’s progress on the FATF action plan and the situation in Afghanistan.
Meritxell Batet greeted FM Qureshi and his delegation upon their arrival at Spain’s Parliament House.
Good to meet with President of Congress of Deputies of Spain @meritxell_batet. We discussed:
➖Afghanistan & the need of the Int’l community to act on the dire humanitarian crisis with appreciation of donation of 20m Euros by Spain in humanitarian support. pic.twitter.com/dQAb13v2Oh
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) January 11, 2022
During the discussion, the foreign minister stated that Spain is an essential European Union partner for Pakistan.
He stated that Pakistan is committed to enhancing collaboration in a variety of areas, and that his Spanish counterpart’s recent visit aided in the strengthening of bilateral ties.
Qureshi emphasised the exchange of high-level delegations and the formation of parliamentary friendship groups when discussing the 70th anniversary of Pakistan-Spain diplomatic relations.
He praised Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plan for debt relief to developing countries to help them overcome the economic impact of the pandemic, citing Pakistan’s successful method to combat the Covid outbreak through smart lockdown.
FM Qureshi also stated that Pakistan has paid a high price for Afghanistan’s instability by sacrificing 80,000 lives and suffering a $150 billion economic loss.
Constructive session with Spanish Parliamentarians & members of Foreign Relations Committee of Congress of Deputies. Discussed:
➖🇵🇰🇪🇸 bilateral relations, regional & int’l developments
➖Greater Parliamentary exchange
➖ The imperative for peace & stability in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/nvcGWAcpeu— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) January 11, 2022
“Pakistan has consistently urged for a political solution to the Afghan issue, arguing that after 40 years, a window of opportunity for peace has opened that should not be passed up.”
Referring to the recent meeting of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan in Islamabad, the foreign minister emphasised the importance of taking practical steps to assist the Afghan people financially.
He also praised Spain for a 20-million-euro commitment to Afghanistan and for indicating that it would work to improve the education of Afghan children, particularly girls.
During his visit, FM Qureshi met with a delegation of members of the Congress’ Foreign Relations Committee, led by Pau Mari Klose.
The members of the committee expressed their gratitude to Pakistan for commemorating the 70th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.
The foreign minister emphasised the need of exchanging parliamentary delegations, citing the enormous potential for trade and commercial cooperation.
Concerning the Afghan crisis, he stated that the world should not repeat past mistakes but rather seize the potential for peace by working together, as any instability there would jeopardise Pakistan’s and the region’s peace.
Qureshi reminded the members of the committee that, following the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, Pakistan has formed a platform of six neighbours to develop a unified strategy.
He further called the committee’s attention to India’s unilateral activities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on August 5, 2019, which put regional peace at risk.
FM Qureshi described the 125,000 Pakistani expats in Spain as a driving force in strengthening bilateral ties, but he also emphasised the challenges they confront, such as local restrictions that oblige Pakistanis to renounce their Pakistani citizenship.
He also extended an invitation to the members of the committee to visit Pakistan, who thanked the country for its assistance in the evacuation of Spanish citizens from Afghanistan.
Earlier, at Pakistan House, the foreign minister met with think tanks, journalists, and defence experts, claiming that Pakistan has moved its focus from geopolitics to geoeconomics.
Pakistan is attracting the world’s attention to tremendous investment prospects in a rising market of 200 million people, he said, through its economic diplomacy.
Think tanks had a vital role in forming public opinion, especially in light of the rapidly changing global situation.
