ISLAMABAD, Feb 6 (APP):The Foreign Office on Thursday said so far only four Pakistani students had been affected by coronavirus in China and their condition was reported to be stable.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui at a weekly press briefing while responding to a question said the Chinese government was very active and providing all-out support to foreign nationals in their country.
To another question, she said the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had been one of the strongest proponents of Kashmir cause. Several OIC resolutions had been passed on different aspects of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, including human rights violations taking place there, the legal position and as well as the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
She said the OIC held a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September last year and the independent report issued by it condemned the human rights abuses in held Kashmir
About suspension of US-Taliban peace talks, she said Pakistan hoped that US-Taliban peace talks would come to logical conclusion leading to intra-Afghan negotiations. It was also the subject of US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad during his recent visit to Pakistan.
She said Pakistan was closely following the developments regarding peace talks between the two parties and believed it was a good improvement that Taliban had shown willingness on talks and called for reduction in violence.
Replying to a query, the FO spokesperson said, “We are aware of protests held outside Pakistan embassy in Kabul and the matter has been raised with Afghan authorities.”
She said the venue for observing the function on the Kashmir Solidarity Day at Pakistan embassy was changed and the concern had been taken up officially with the Afghan government.
Aisha Farooqui said ceremonies were held at Pakistan’s embassies and high commissions across the globe to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day in a befitting manner aimed at giving a message to the world that Pakistan stands by its Kashmiri brethren in their just struggle for right to self-determination.
The ceremonies were attended by local parliamentarians, intellectuals, leaders of public opinion, civil society activists and people from various strata of life from the host countries, besides Pakistani expatriates, she added.
It was an ongoing engagement with the local host government officials and it would continue, the spokesperson said.
On the upcoming visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Pakistan, she said the modalities of the visit were being discussed. It was a scheduled visit of fixed duration.
She said Pakistan and Turkey enjoyed warm and cordial relations, and both stood by each other in times of need. The two countries supported each other on core issues and would work together to solidify the existing ties.
When asked whether Pakistan was considering a plan regarding signing of an agreement with Turkey to allow dual citizenship for citizens of the two countries, the Foreign Office spokesperson said both the sides were engaged on the issue, its details were being explored and discussed. Once it was finalized, details would be shared with the media.
