Newly-appointed Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said there is a need to alter the 'direction' of Pakistan's foreign policy.
"We need to change the direction of our foreign policy," Qureshi said while speaking at the Foreign Office shortly after being sworn-in as a member of Prime Minister Imran Khan's cabinet.
Stating that Pakistan’s foreign policy will be reviewed afresh, the foreign minister said, "We want peace and stability in the region."
"Our foreign policy will begin and end on Pakistan," he upheld and added that they are determined to resolve the challenges faced by the country.
"We will make sure that Pakistan is respected worldwide and for that we will have to set our priorities straight," Qureshi added.
Shifting focus to relations with neighbouring countries, the foreign minister stressed, "There is a need for continued and uninterrupted dialogue with India."
"India and Pakistan are neighbours and nuclear powers who have recognised Kashmir issue," he added.
Regarding relations with Afghanistan, Qureshi said, "We want to go with a strong message for Afghanistan and will contact Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to schedule a visit to Kabul."
Qureshi also said, "Some powers were taking advantage of the vacuum created by the absence of a foreign minister and were trying to push Pakistan towards isolation."
However, Qureshi vowed to not allow Pakistan to be isolated.
Inviting the opposition for talks, Qureshi said, "I will also consult former foreign ministers Khawaja Asif and Hina Rabbani Khar on how to move forward with the foreign policy."
