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Today's Paper | December 01, 2024

Updated 01 Mar, 2019 12:09pm

Disengagement not the solution, soft diplomacy is: Zardari

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari says that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi should attend the OIC meeting but adds that he would accept the parliament's wishes on the matter.

"I am a democratic man and if the house thinks that foreign minister should not attend then I can’t say anything. But disengagement is not a solution. The foreign minister should attend the OIC meeting. Pakistan should be represented there.

"Our population is emotional, we are emotional and we think with emotions. Wars are fought against nations. If it comes to that we are ready for war. But that should be the last resort. Soft diplomacy is the need of the hour.

"I stand by my position that the foreign minister should go to the OIC. If not the foreign minister then the foreign secretary should go but we must be represented. We must not be cut off. We are one of the founding members and for this OIC our armed forces have fought wars. Small countries have become big powers; we must acknowledge that, but we can’t change others. We can [only] change our way of thinking." — Asif Ali Zardari

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