Qureshi\u2019s claims rejected
\nSays Pakistan\u2019s position on addition of UNSC members is clear, consistent
\nISLAMABAD
\nResponding to former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi\u2019s claim that Pakistan has assured its support to India\u2019s bid for UNSC membership, the Foreign Office on Friday reaffirmed its opposition to adding new permanent members to the UN Security Council (UNSC).
\nA day earlier, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed to have heard that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari gave assurance to the US that the coalition government would not oppose India\u2019s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
\nReiterating its call to hold India accountable for its gross and systematic violations of human rights in Occupied Kashmir, FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan\u2019s position on the reform of the UN Security Council was clear, consistent and unambiguous. \u201cTogether with its other partners in the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) Group, Pakistan is opposed, in principle, to any expansion in the permanent membership of the Security Council. There is no change whatsoever in that policy,\u201d Asim Iftikhar said.
\nEarlier in the day, PTI leader and former foreign minister said he has heard that FM Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari gave the Americans an understanding that Pakistan would not oppose if India is made a permanent member of the UNSC during his recent visit to New York. Urging the foreign minister to give clarification, the PTI leader said that it is a major \u201cpolicy shift\u201d and people are worried about it.
\nTalking to journalists following his meeting with the chief election commissioner, he maintained that the Economic Survey 2021-22 endorsed their government\u2019s economic progress.
\n\u201cEven our opponents are also acknowledging the performance of the PTI-led government today,\u201d he added. He maintained that the government was using development projects as a tool to win by-elections in Punjab\u2019s 20 constituencies. He demanded of the ECP to issue the polling scheme one month before the by-elections. Speaking on the occasion, the PTI leader warned the administration against any interference in the election. He said they will not tolerate the Punjab government\u2019s rigging in the upcoming by-polls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Qureshi\u2019s claims rejected Says Pakistan\u2019s position on addition of UNSC members is clear, consistent ISLAMABAD Responding to former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi\u2019s claim that Pakistan has assured its support to India\u2019s bid for UNSC membership, the Foreign Office on Friday reaffirmed its opposition to adding new permanent members to the UN Security Council (UNSC). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-265767","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n