I am not Taliban’s spokesperson nor their lawyer: FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke on the Afghan Peace Process, stating that neither is he the Taliban’s representative nor the group’s attorney.

“I am only Pakistan’s foreign minister,” FM Qureshi said, addressing a news conference in Islamabad.

The foreign minister said he had replied as a Pakistani to the Afghan national security consultant’s recent anti-Pakistan answer.

“The Afghan NSA’s statement did not benefit his country,” the foreign minister said, adding: “Pakistan has always tried to persuade the Taliban to negotiate.”

Last week, talking to Private News during his visit to Antalya, Turkey, the foreign minister stated that one “cannot pass the buck to Pakistan” for harmony and steadiness in Afghanistan.

Pakistan had been involved positively for peace and steadiness in Afghanistan and would continue to do so, stated FM

“Pakistan is one regional player. There are other global players and there are other interests that are paramount in the region,” the foreign minister said.