Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says recent proposed bill moved in the U.S. Senate seeking Pakistan’s role in the present Afghanistan situation is an attempt to pass on the buck and stressed that Pakistan had sufficient reasons to defend the course.

Speaking at a joint news conference along with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod in Islamabad on Friday, he said Pakistan will protect its interests and defend its position saying the U.S. has to understand the role played by Pakistan in facilitating the peace process.

The Foreign Minister said scape-goating Pakistan would in fact mean overlooking the ground realities.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan would not ignore the implications of the proposed bill in the US Senate saying we are cognizant and can explain.

He pointed out that the bill does not have a bipartisan understanding over it and was presented by a group of Republican senators, who were even critical of some U.S. policies and were also against the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.