Source: IRNAIslamabad, Nov 17, IRNA-- Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Wednesday he had resigned as Foreign Minister as he was being forced to give diplomatic immunity to CIA undercover agent Raymond Davis, who had killed 2 Pakistanis in Lahore in February.
Qureshi quit his ruling Pakistan Peoples Party of President Asif Ali Zardrai and his National Assembly seat and will announce his future political strategy on November 27.
Qureshi was not given the slot of the Foreign Ministry in the cabinet reshuffle earlier this year and the PPP leaders say that he has resigned after refusal of the Foreign Ministry.
But he told the reporters in Multan city that said he did not resign because of the ministry but due to the 'government pressure to give diplomatic immunity to Raymond Davis'.
Qureshi said that the Raymond Davis incident had taken place on January 27 and he had resigned on January 30 in the presence of President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
On reports of him joining Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf or Movement for Justice party, Qureshi said that he would announce his political plans at the rally in southern Sindh province on November 27. There are also rumours that he may join the opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“I believe in transparency and transparent politics,” said Qureshi. “Now is not the time to save your seat, but it is the time to save Pakistan.”
He said the PPP leaders have deviated from the vision of slain leader Benazir Bhutto and that is the main reason to resign the party. He had been associated with the PPP for nearly 20 years.
