ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has thanked the Malaysian government for its principled stance on the Kashmir dispute.

According to a press release issued by the Foreign Office, the foreign minister held separate meetings with his Malaysian counterpart and minister of economic affairs and discussed bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, halal food, science and technology, human resource and international issues of common interest.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his two-day visit attended a preparatory meeting on Kuala Lumpur Summit chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Also Read: Malaysian PM urges ways, means to sort out Kashmir dispute

He held networking meeting with leading businessmen at a lunch hosted by Queen Kalsom of Pahang at her residence.

FM Qureshi apprised the businessmen of the steady improvements in Pakistan’s economy notably the impressive jump in Pakistan’s rating on Ease of Doing Business Index brought about by government’s business friendly and reform-oriented policies.

He invited the Malaysian businessmen to invest in Pakistan.

The foreign minister also held a meeting with the top management of the flagship Malaysian Oil and Gas Corp Petronas to discuss cooperation in Oil and Gas and LNG sectors.

On the occasion, Petronas evinced keen interest to increase collaboration with Pakistan.

Qureshi also inaugurated Community Service Centre at the High Commission of Pakistan, which will provide facilitation to more than 82,000 Pakistani nationals in Malaysia.

On Oct 8, Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had urged for ways and means to sort out the Kashmir dispute.

Talking to media at the Parliament lobby in Kuala Lumpur, he had said he had also raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they met in Vladivostok, Russia.

He had said according to the UN Resolutions Kashmir dispute must be resolved as it was Malaysia’s policy not to resort violence but to resolve issues through negotiations, arbitration and the court of law.

Mahathir had said, despite a UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the valley had been invaded and occupied by the Indian forces.