FM calls for concerted int’l effort to fight COVID-19 pandemic

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday called for a concerted international effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and to develop a vaccine that was accessible to all as a global public good.

“Pakistan remains opposed to any politicization of the issue,” Foreign Minister Qureshi said while addressing the 28th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) held online.

The meeting was chaired by Brunei Darussalam and attended by Foreign Ministers and senior government officials of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

In his video remarks, the Foreign Minister also apprised the forum about the progress made by Pakistan in the field of counter-terrorism.

He urged the ASEAN Regional Forum members to raise voice against the rise of “Islamophobia” and extremist tendencies in the region and around the globe.

The Foreign Minister condemned moves by states to alter the demographics of disputed territories under their illegal occupation and stressed the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes according to relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He underscored that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was central to regional peace.

Highlighting Pakistan’s positive contributions, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed the country’s steadfast support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

He also underlined the importance of an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement through Intra-Afghan Negotiations.

On the issue of South China Sea, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the ongoing negotiations of Code of Conduct and underlined that the concerned parties may find solution through consensus.

He also announced that Pakistan will be co-hosting the 24th ARF Heads of Defence Universities/Colleges/Institutions Meeting with Malaysia in 2021.