ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP): Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that entire world has admitted the stance of Pakistan about having its no link with Pulwama incident and its policy to defuse tension in the region.
The minister stated while responding to a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) here on Friday in National Assembly which was regarding steps by the government for release of ninety fishermen belonging to Thatha and Karachi who are in prison in India for the last ten years.
The minister said that Pakistan has a clear policy for peace in the region and it wants to de-escalate tension. The release of 360 fishermen during April and release of Indian pilot had the purpose to exert moral pressure on India while the international Community had acknowledged the efforts of Pakistan towards stability in the region.
He said “fishermen inadvertently cross the border and it is among our objectives to ensure their release.” The Foreign Office and Pakistan High Commission in Delhi continuously took up the issue with Indian government and efforts were underway to release the fishermen detained by India.
The Foreign Minister said “India wants to escalate the tension but our strategy is to de-escalate it and to tell the world about our peace-oriented policy.”
Earlier, the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbass said that there had been 585 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails of which 375 are civilians and 210 fishermen. The nationality of 33 fishermen had been confirmed and four of them would be repatriated soon, she added.
