ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that former Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden “is a thing of the past, my focus is on the future”.
Qureshi, while talking to a private television network, once more avoided declaring Osama Bin Laden a terrorist, “We do not and never will support terrorist organisations,” foreign minister said.
“Osama Bin Laden is a thing of the past. I am not concerned with the past. You are lost in the past. My focus is on the future,” he said.
“I wish to bring people out of the past,” Qureshi said, in response. “My friend, I wish to bring you out of the past. And I tell you, you must think about the future. That future which will impact Pakistan, its economy and its society. We are absolutely clear on this. We are against terrorism,” the foreign minister said.
He went on to state that the premier takes inspiration from the country’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
To a question as why Pakistan is giving confused statements, when in the backdrop of the US defence secretary’s words about Afghanistan’s soil being used against the US by Daesh or Al-Qaeda in two years time, such remarks could come back to haunt us, the foreign minister said: “No, no, no, no. We have great clarity on this. We will never want Afghan or Pakistan soil to be used against a third country. Let alone America, I would never want it being used against any of our neighbours. Not at all.”
“We have great clarity […] We do not and never will support terrorist organisations and will never want for them to gain such power or importance that they become capable of striking the mainland, some other country, or some coalition partner who have done much for Afghanistan.
“We will have to admit one thing. The coalition there invested a great deal [in society]. They have billions of dollars, established institutions, promoted education, taught them governance. Who will want them to come under attack?”
Last June, during an address to the National Assembly, the prime minister had recalled how the Americans had conducted an operation in Abbottabad and “killed Osama Bin Laden — martyred him”.
Even prior to becoming the prime minister, when he was asked in an interview whether he considers OBL to be a terrorist, the premier had appeared uncomfortable in answering the question and said he does not wish to comment.
Qureshi said that the remarks were taken “out of context”.
“He [PM Imran Khan] was quoted out of context. And, uh, you know, a particular section of the media played it up,” he added.
“Is he a martyr? You disagree? Osama bin Laden?” asked Najafizada.
“I will let that pass,” responded Qureshi, after a brief pause.
