FM appreciates New Zealand assurances on 200 Pakistani students

FM appreciates New Zealand assurances on 200 Pakistani students during telephonic conversation with counterpart from New Zealand.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his counterpart from New Zealand Winston Peters.

FM appreciates New Zealand assurances

He appreciated the assurances of the New Zealand Foreign Minister for taking care of the 200 Pakistani students in New Zealand.

Meanwhile, they discussed matters related to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic as well as bilateral relations.

While highlighting cooperative relations between Pakistan and New Zealand, Shah Mahmood Qureshi underscored the importance of a coordinated international response to deal with the unprecedented pandemic.

He commended New Zealand’s efforts, under the proactive leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, to control the spread of the disease.

He underscored global recession imminent while the pandemic has seriously impacted the developing world.

Hence, Shah Mahmood highlighted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Global Initiative for Debt Relief and hoped that New Zealand will lend its support to the Initiative.

He highlighted on-going restrictions in Indian Occupied Kashmir, which are hampering dissemination of information and preventing unfettered supply of medicines and other essentials needed to combat Covid-19.

The Foreign Minister also expressed deep concern over heightened hate crimes and demonization of the Muslim minority in India in the context of Covid-19.

He also noted that the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have expressed concerns regarding the steepest and alarming deterioration in religious freedom conditions in India.

The FM thanked the New Zealand government for providing visa extension to Pakistanis on temporary visas in New Zealand who could not leave due to border restrictions.

He also appreciated the assurances of the New Zealand Foreign Minister for taking care of the 200 Pakistani students in New Zealand.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his counterpart from New Zealand Winston Peters also agreed to remain in touch.

GTV