Iran’s inclusion in CPEC, peace in Afghanistan to benefit every country of region: FM –Terms Chabahar a big setback for India

ISLAMABAD : Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Iran’s inclusion in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and peace in Afghanistan will benefit every country of the region. In a statement on Friday, Shah Mahmood Qureshi reminded the Indian government of its vow to the Indian nation that it’ll leave Pakistan isolated on all international forums. “They wished to set us aside but they’re the ones being isolated on diplomatic platforms,” Qureshi remarked while discussing Iran’s decision to drop India from the Chabahar rail project.The Iran government cited delay in payments by India as the reason to cut off the four-year-old agreement of constructing a 628-kilometre railway line along the Iran-Afghanistan border. It aimed to set up a new trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia. India had agreed to provide $1.6 billion for all services, but now Iran has now decided to fund the project itself at a cost of $400 million after entering into a strategic accord with China. Qureshi said Indian PM Narendra Modi’s government has faced the music over their foreign policies. “Congress, the opposition party in Indian Parliament, is heavily criticising the BJP government for losing the deal,” he added. The opposition said China worked quietly and got a better deal and it’s a massive loss for the Indian economy. Qureshi also thinks one of the major reasons for the deal going south is India’s worsening relationship with South Asian countries. “After coming into power again, the BJP government got in fight with China and Nepal, both states that have good relations with Iran,” he added. The Foreign Minister said this is a jolt for India, and the opposition is criticizing the Indian government. The Minister said several Indian troops were killed and injured in a clash with China. He said there is a tension between India and Nepal, and India-Bangladesh relationship warmth has also reduced. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said India wanted to isolate Pakistan, but it itself has been isolated. The Foreign Minister said Pakistan provided India consular access to its spy Kulbhushan Jadhav yesterday, but the Indian diplomats avoided talking to him. He said India’s ill intentions have been exposed as it did not want access to its spy.