KARACHI: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday that the Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi may launch false flag operations to attack Pakistan in order to divert attention from the domestic economic and political turmoil.

Addressing the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in Karach, Qureshi said that he has written to world bodies expressing serious concerns in this regard.

“I have written seven letters to the secretary-general of United Nations and president of the Security Council and in all the seven letters, I have expressed my concerns,” he said. 

“I fear that to divert the attention from the internal problems they (Indian government) can play Pulwama like drama again and, through false flag operation, can target Pakistan,” the minister remarked.

In February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel was attacked with vehicle-borne explosives in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the death of 40 security personnel.

Though Pakistan denies any involvement, India insists that Pakistan based elements were involved in the attack. 
Qureshi said that Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was losing mandate which was evident from the recent result of polls held in three Indian states. “That may be the impact of cruel policies being towed in Kashmir and a result of controversial citizen laws, NRC (National Register of Citizens),” he said. “Entire India is facing protests,” he added.

Indian government’s policies have affected the economy of Jammu and Kashmir as the territory remains under a security lockdown since August 5, 2019, when BJP revoked the special status of the disputed region.

“In six months, as per their (Indian) economic experts, the valley alone has suffered minimum economic losses worth $2 billion,” he said. “Around 400,000 people have lost jobs and the trend is continuing. Many young people who had availed loans to start businesses are about to default.”

Talking about the bilateral economic relations with China, the foreign minister said that Pakistan will sign an agreement with Beijing for cooperation in agriculture research where the focus will be on production capacity enhancement for exportable surplus.

“In the first phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), our prime focus was on energy and now our priorities in the second phase of CPEC are industrialization and transfer of technology,” Qureshi said.

Pakistan is currently struggling to enhance its exports and looking for new markets. 

“The world takes those countries seriously that are financially stable which is why I am here so that we can forge partnership to establish contacts with other countries through economic diplomacy,” Qureshi said.

Mian Anjum Nisar, president of the FPCCI, later addressing the ceremony stressed on trade diplomacy to enhance exports from Pakistan. He also called for reducing the cost of doing business to make the country competitive with global players.