ISLAMABAD, May 05 (APP):Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar on Monday said unchecked violations of international norms at the Line of Control (LoC) was worsening the situation that might lead to a wrong direction at any time.
“Indian violations of LoC have risen many times in recent period and through this posture India is trying to externalize its internal situation through media rhetoric,” he said in an interview to a private news channel.
“Despite requests by the United Nations Secretary General, India has resorted to repeated violations of LoC killing and injuring innocent people on our side.
The situation has become very serious in view of the Indian Army’s behaviour and statements of Indian leadership,” he added.
He declared the Indian allegations of infiltration as well as transporting COVID-19 into India as ‘ridiculous’.
The uprising in occupied Kashmir was indigenous and there was no reason of any kind of infiltration. “We have in place a proper mechanism under the UNMOGIP. We challenge India to identify any location where it believes there are launching pads.”
He said India had its satellite system and had reinforced the fence at the LoC then how come that “it can blame us for infiltration”. The allegations, he added, were baseless and the Indian rhetoric to externalize its international problems must come to an end now.
He called upon the international community to focus on the worsening human rights situation in India that could go out of control any time and have serious impact on the regional peace.
Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said the international community had appreciated Pakistan’s measures towards minorities rights and the iconic steps like opening up the Kartarpur border. “But, situation in India is totally opposite where minorities, including Muslims, are feeling threatened.”
He said whenever India faced criticism on human rights it opened an exit valve towards Pakistan through media rhetoric. “But, in Pakistan we have specified space for minorities in our national flag and minorities here are part and parcel of the nation and enjoy full rights.”
In this regard, he also mentioned to the US report on human and minorities rights situation in India and said contrary to the concerns of international community on human rights situation in India, they had appreciated Pakistan for protecting minorities rights.
The DG ISPR said healthcare was also very important part of national security and as soon as cases of COVID-19 pandemic surfaced in Pakistan “we moved to help out our civil administration with all out resources”.
As far as safety measures were concerned, he said the Pakistani forces were disciplined institutions “where we can easily observe social distancing and other precautionary measures.
We are enforcing these measures at all tiers of our forces. Our routine operation continues unhindered. We are fully functioning in KP 9Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Balochistan to assist healthcare squad of the country as well as maintain law and order.”
However, he said, it was a different situation and “we have to move forward with precautionary measures until any vaccine is invented to cure this disease”.
Major General Babar Iftikhar said when the pandemic broke out it was the first experience of the armed forces to deal with such mammoth risk of its kind.
After the National Security Committee meeting and the National Coordination Committee headed by the prime minister, it was decided to establish one window for taking all stakeholders on board under a single platform to articulate and gather suggestions so that national efforts to deal with the epidemic were synergized for enhanced decision making.
He added that a national structure was established by uniting the already existing network of institutions at provincial and district levels for implementing the test, track and quarantine (TTQ) strategy which had its lower tier available at the grassroots level.
“The main idea has been to collate the information obtained from various forums for informed decision making. We are at a stage to have a better bigger picture of the issue and we are enable to establish TTQ strategy for focussed targeting of communities,” he added.
The ISPR DG said military hospitals’ support had also been made available for testing of the virus in the localities where it was needed.
He said testing equipment like face masks were being produced indigenously to meet the country’s needs in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19).
He said on the special directives of Chief of Army Staff, the civil administration was being extended military support to stem the spread of the virus.
The Pakistan Army troops, he added, had distributed around 350,000 army assistance packages, containing basic food items, among COVID-19 affected peoplein various areas of the country.
The assistance packages had been procured from the salary-donation announced by the army for COVID-19 affected people and the daily wage earners, handicapped, labourers , widows and needy people in far-flung areas.
He said the army troops had reached out to the minority and vulnerable communities to assist them in the difficult times. It had been an overall package whether there was law enforcement or logistics support for supply of personal protection equipment.
He said: “China’s role in this pandemic especially with respect to Pakistan is very significant. China has shared all its experiences gained during her fight against the outbreak of coronavirus is being shared with us.”
A team of Chinese medical experts earlier visited Pakistan for experience sharing whereas the second of medical experts was still present in the country to provide insights for capacity building of its healthcare professionals, he added.
The ISPR DG lauded the Chinese assistance extended to Pakistan in terms of procuring medical safety equipment, personal protective equipment and intensive care machinery. He said China’s role was positive throughout the effort and “we thank it for the assistance”.
Responding to a query, he said Pakistan’s communication strategy had evolved and enhanced over a period of time which was acknowledged at various forums.
“Our communication strategy has been very successful where media’s role in this regard is very pertinent and positive.
The world has seen a great difference between India and Pakistan in managing the communication strategy whereas Pakistan has been commended for its constructive and objective role in this regard,” he added.
The ISPR DG concluded that there was a lot more to come as in the middle different assumptions presented various countries Pakistan would continue to face the risk of Covid-19 until vaccine was invented.
He mentioned the contagion would lead to bring change in social norms and develop a new normal which would have to be adopted by the nation.
