FO highlights Indian hostilities in Occupied Kashmir

Weekly briefing entails round up of diplomatic efforts with Bangladesh, UAE, China

ISLAMABAD:

It has been 353 days since the illegal and unilateral actions taken by India to annex an internationally recognised disputed territory, said the foreign office spokesperson during the press briefing on Thursday.

The brutalisation and subjugation of innocent people in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) continues unabated, said the spokesperson. Fake encounters and phony cordon and search operations continue unabated. According to FO Aisha Farooqui, the martyrdom of Kashmiri youth such as Rauf Ahmed, Rayees Ahmed and Waleed Ahmad in Kulgam and Shopian districts in recent days continues unabated.

It was further stressed that ceasefire violations on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons, also continues unabated.

According to the FO, this year alone, India has committed 1,732 ceasefire violations resulting in 14 deaths and serious injuries to 134 innocent civilians.

The FO maintained that Pakistan has always urged that independent human rights observers, and international media be permitted to get a first hand view of the situation in IOJ&K and along the LoC.

The spokesperson added that Pakistan has consistently called upon India to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) access into IOJ&K in order to fully discharge its mandate given by the UN Security Council.

She maintained that on its part, Pakistan has always provided unfettered access not only to UNMOGIP but to international media and independent observers as well.

Yesterday, once again representatives from international media outlets visited the LoC in the Chrikot Sector and witnessed for themselves the destruction and injuries caused to civilian population along the LoC, stated the FO.

They also witnessed the multilayered surveillance and defense system along the LoC erected by India that completely negates the hollow allegations by senior military and civilian officials of India and the propaganda by Indian media against Pakistan regarding cross border infiltration and so called launch pads, claimed the FO.

The FO informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan held a telephonic conversation with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid, wherein he underscored that Pakistan was committed to developing closer ties with the people of Bangladesh, and that he was committed to SAARC.

The premier invited Sheikh Hasina to visit Pakistan and underlined the importance of both the countries working together towards regional peace and prosperity.

The FO briefing also apprised of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's representation of Pakistan before the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on July 17.

In his address, Qureshi expressed concern over the oppression and atrocities being perpetuated against the people of IOJ&K, stated the FO.

Qureshi further highlighted three simultaneous challenges that were being faced by the world currently, namely: “fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, achieving the 2030 Agenda and preventing climate catastrophe,” according to the spokesperson.

The FO added that to meet these challenges, Qureshi stressed upon the need to restore the central role of ECOSOC to promote “better standards of life in larger freedoms.”

He pledged that Pakistan would take a leading role to promote these objectives during its forthcoming presidency of the Economic and Social Council, stated the FO.

The press briefing also entailed details on Qureshi's telephonic conversation with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which matters of mutual interests were discussed.

Further, the media briefing informed that on July 17, the ministry of foreign affairs and the National Institute of Health (NIH) jointly launched two sets of documents, namely, the Code of Conduct for Life Scientists 2020, and the National Guidelines for Collection, Storage and Export of Human Biological Materials 2020.

The purpose of the two documents is to specify guidelines for responsible conduct of stakeholders linked to life sciences in Pakistan, they strengthen the country's implementation of its national legislative requirements and international obligations, and are consistent with the latest global standards and best practices, according to the FO press briefing.

It was also disclosed that Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood held a second round of bilateral political consultations with Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Lou Zhaohui via video-link. During the consultations a wide range of issues were discussed including Pakistan-China bilateral ties, regional security situation, deepening cooperation in wake of Covid-19, CPEC, and further solidifying bilateral economic cooperation.