STAFF REPORTER DOHA Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday arrived in Doha, Qatar after concluding his threeday visit to the United States. Pakistan Ambassador in the US Dr Asad Majeed and other senior officials of the Embassy saw him off in Washington. During his visit to the US, the foreign minister held several meetings, including the one with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo and US lawmakers, and briefed the US leadership on Pakistan’s efforts for defusing tensions in the Middle East and the gaining a momentum towards a deal between the United States and the Afghan Taliban. The US authorities appreciated Pakistan’s sincere efforts for peace in the region, which was considered a great diplomatic triumph for Islamabad. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday urged the United States to “change its lenses” through which it views India and take into account the systematic discrimination ofreligious minorities in India. Speaking at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, the foreign minister invited diplomats from the United States to visit Pakistan and debunk India’s claims about the treatment of minorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Since August 5, 2019 – when India unliterally stripped occupied Kashmir of its special status by revoking Article 370 of its Constitution – New Delhi has continued to tighten restrictions in the region and has imposed a draconian communication blackout. The foreign minister maintained that Muslims in the occupied region are not allowed to offer Friday prayers while minorities in Azad Kashmir face no religious or other restrictions. He also elaborated on the opening of the Kartapur Corridor, which offers easy travel for Indian Sikh pilgrims visiting one of Sikhism’s holiest sites. Referring to the divisive Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that was signed into law in India, the foreign minister asked why the US cannot see the evident discrimination against the Muslims by the right-wing government led by Narendra Modi.
