Foreign Minister’s telephone call with the Foreign Minister of Switzerland

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis of Switzerland, to discuss matters related to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic today.

​Expressing deep condolences over loss of precious lives, Foreign Minister Qureshi commended the efforts made by the Swiss Government to contain the pandemic. He also appreciated projecting the Pakistan flag on Matterhorn mountain a few days ago, as a special gesture of solidarity.

Underscoring that a global recession was imminent, and the pandemic had seriously impacted the developing world, Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Global Initiative for Debt Relief.

The Foreign Minister highlighted the on-going restrictions in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K), which were hampering dissemination of information, and preventing unfettered supply of medicines and other essentials needed to combat Covid-19.

He also noted that the Hindutva-inspired BJP Government in India was using the Pandemic to demonize India’s Muslim minority in the context of Covid-19, an attempt that should be rejected by the international community.

The two Foreign Ministers agreed to stay closely engaged.

Islamabad

1 May 2020

190/2020