ISLAMABAD, Jun 25 (APP):Pakistan on Thursday said that it had no desire to escalate the situation, however the violation of diplomatic norms by Indian officials and Indian continued belligerent attitude was a threat to regional peace and security.
“Pakistan has no desire to escalate the situation. We have always reacted with restraint. However, violation of diplomatic norms by Indian officials in Islamabad and India’s continued belligerent attitude is a threat to regional peace and security,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in her weekly press briefing.
She said the latest Indian action to reduce the Pakistani High Commission’s staff strength by 50% was a part of India’s desperate attempts to divert attention from its state-terrorism and worst human rights violations in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K).
“Pakistan completely dismisses allegations of any violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by the officials of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi. Our diplomats and officials have always functioned within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms,” she remarked.
She said in the recent act of state terrorism, the Indian occupation forces during their continued so-called cordon and search operations, fake encounters martyred 14 Kashmiris in Srinagar, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam areas of IOJ&K.
The spokesperson said the Indian occupation forces had martyred above 110 innocent Kashmiris during the past five months.
Referring to the unabated violation of the Line of Control by Indian forces, she said India had committed 1440 ceasefire violations in the past six months, resulting in martyring 13 people and leaving another 104 seriously injured.
Apprising media of Emergency virtual meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir held on June 22, she said the body unanimously reaffirmed its support for the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for realization of their inalienable right to self-determination and freedom from Indian occupation and rejected the newly-notified “Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Order 2020” and “Jammu & Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate Rules 2020” aimed at changing the demographic structure of IOJ&K; and
As regard to repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, the spokesperson said during past few days, 3,976 nationals returned from Saudi Arabia, 2,231 from UAE and 263 from Iraq. As of 24th June 2020, a total of 97,393 Pakistani nationals had been repatriated from more than 73 countries from across the world.
To a question, she said Pakistan hoped that the release of prisoners would be completed as agreed in the US-Taliban Peace Agreement at the earliest to pave the way for the start of Intra-Afghan Negotiations.
She said at the request of the Afghan government and based on humanitarian considerations, Pakistan had opened its borders for trade with Afghanistan; however the process of fencing as part of our efforts for effective border management remains a priority.
Responding to another query, Aisha Farooqui said Pakistan continued to support a just and lasting solution of the Palestinian issue, through dialogue and negotiations.
“We renew our call for the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally-agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” she added.
Asked to comment on brief detention of two Indian High Commission employees following a hit-and-run incident in Islamabad, the spokesperson said at the Indian High Commission’s request they returned to India on June 22, 2020.
“Such illegal actions and reckless conduct by the officials of the Indian High Commission are against the law and established diplomatic norms. Indian High Commission personnel should not engage in illegal activities and adhere to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961,” she stated.
To a question, she said as the COVID-19 pandemic was a common challenge demanding international cooperation among all the countries.
Moreover, a decision was made at the ministerial level meeting of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Iran to constitute a Technical and Operational Coordination (ToC) Team to exchange information; enhance coordination at the border areas; and increase synchronization to combat Desert Locust outbreak in the region.