“Indian media have a tendency to indulge in propaganda against Pakistan," said Foreign office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam. PHOTO: INP/FILE
Addressing the weekly press briefing at the ministry of foreign affairs in Islamabad on Thursday, she was asked whether elections that were being held in Kashmir today are an alternative to the right of self-determination.
“Absolutely not and this is the position of the United Nations Security Council resolutions as well that any elections in Indian occupied Kashmir are not an alternative to the exercise of their right of self-determination.”
In response to a question regarding negative propaganda in Indian media following the attack on journalist Hamid Mir in Karachi, the spokesperson said, “Indian media have a tendency to indulge in propaganda against Pakistan. You talked about the negative propaganda in the Indian media, it has not surprised us. It should not surprise anyone.”
The spokesperson added that criticism of international media of Pakistani institutions was baseless. "We all need to focus on our internal issues, before we start commenting on institutions and situations in other countries."
On a question why Pakistan is entering into an agreement to purchase electricity from Iran, even as the government seems not to have moved forward on the Iran-Pakistan gas project owing to international restrictions, Aslam explained that the pipeline requires extensive infrastructure which obviously requires financial resources. "The main impediment has been the raising of funding for the gas pipeline project."
Refuting the reports that Iranian Foreign Minister’s visit had been cancelled, the spokesperson said no visit had even been scheduled.
However, she said that the Iranian Interior Minister is likely to visit Pakistan. The dates for that visit are being finalised.
The Iranian interior minister would probably visit before the Prime Minister’s visit to Iran, which is expected to take place before May 15.
Prime Minister to Visit UK
According to a statement issued by the ministry of foreign affairs, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is to visit United Kingdom from April 30, 2014 to May 2, 2014 at the invitation of British Prime Minister, David Cameron.
During the Visit Prime Minister will hold discussions with his British counterpart on matters of mutual interest. Nawaz will also hold meetings with select UK Cabinet Ministers.
The Premier will also address an Investment Conference and meet chief executives and investors from the financial and energy sectors to apprise them on improving business environment in Pakistan.
He will also meet members of the Pakistani Diaspora.
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Kashmir is an integral part of Pakistan. Give Kashmiris the right of self determination.
India should immediately look into the capture of Pak occupied kasmir........India should not give chance to pakistan to ignite communal feeling in kasmir people so that innocent kasmiries think pakistan is their islamic state........India is secular country so there no question of majority muslim state want pakistan............India should teach lesson to pakistan early so that it never think of kasmir for its own survival............india should become graet economic & military power so that even pakstan never want kasmir in their dream goals also
I suppose the same would apply to Pakistan Kashmir. I suspect that many/most people in Kashmir would appreciate both Pakistan and India minding their own business.
I think the feeling is mutual.
I agree with the spokesperson 100%. The elections and elected govt are not right of self determination. That is why we in Pakistan had martial law and not elections most of our history. That is also the reason we hated, maligned and overthrew almost each elected govt in Pakistan. There has never been a military dictator in our history that we have not welcomed. None of the democratically elected govt in the world is our close friend. We don't get along even our democratic neighbors.
@KnightofKashmir:
The majority of Indians, including the vast majority of its proud Muslim population, would also like to freeze relations with Pakistan. Relations with Pakistan are, anyway, on the back burner because there is no point talking to a government that has no backbone and uses terrorism as an extension of its foreign policy. Pakistan can beat the Kashmir horse dead but it knows very well that its argument has no legitimacy. The UN resolution is dead and buried because it was long superseded by the Shimla Agreement of 1972 that seeks to address all issues, including Kashmir, within the bilateral framework. The UN resolution, except in the fantasy of Pakistanis, is obsolete, as any legal expert will tell you. Incidentally, one of the conditions of the implementation of this resolution was the proviso that Pakistan would first withdraw all its armed forces to the 1947 borders when Pakistani armed soldiers, dressed as locals, entered and occupied Kashmir. Also, you had no authority whatsoever to give away land to China if Kashmir was a disputed territory. That violates the principle of territorial integrity of Kashmir.
Pakistan should choose its words carefully.Everything will have consequences.
Get over kashmir, in distant future you can have it when humanity will leave earth (and you) for other planets.
Yaaawwnn!!
As India has consistently failed to honor the UNSC Resolutions on Kashmir, it is time for Pakistan to act unilaterally and declare Kashmir as its 5th Province, part of which is under Indian occupation, and all conciliatory intiatives with India should be frozen until India ends its occupation of Pakistani people and territory.