ISLAMABAD, Apr 2 (APP):Pakistan on Friday reiterated its call for immediate and transparent judicial inquiry, under international scrutiny, into the extrajudicial killings of all innocent Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, in his weekly press briefing, referred to the killing of another six Kashmiri youth by the Indian occupation forces during the past two weeks.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the unabated extrajudicial killings of innocent Kashmiris in fake “encounters” and staged “cordon-and-search” operations in IIOJK. The extrajudicial killings of Kashmiris are a clear violation of the humanitarian norms and fundamental precepts of international law,” he remarked.
The spokesperson also called for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions for durable peace and stability in the region.
Apprising Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s visit to Tajikistan to attend 9th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) Ministerial Conference, the spokesperson said Pakistan recommended building upon the progress made through the Doha Process; ensuring orderly and responsible withdrawal of troops and reduction in violence and ceasefire in Afghanistan.
On the sidelines, the foreign minister held bilateral meetings with the Afghan President, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, and the foreign ministers of Iran, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.
During these meetings, the Foreign Minister discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, with particular focus on Afghanistan.
The foreign minister outlined Pakistan’s consistent position on the Afghan conflict and its continued support to the Afghan Peace Process.
Qureshi also called on the President of Tajikistan, Chairman of Lower House of Tajik Parliament and the Defence Minister, besides holding delegation level talks with Tajik foreign minister.
Chaudhri informed journalists that Prime Minister Imran Khan received telephone call from the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The prime minister lauded the transformational “Green Saudi Initiative” and the “Green Middle East Initiative” recently announced by the Crown Prince.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s “10 billion Tree Tsunami” Initiative, which is underway in the whole country, and its potential dividends to restore ecosystem and to combat climate change.
The Crown Prince invited the prime minister to visit to Saudi Arabia in the near future, which he accepted.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had a telephonic conversation with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud.
The foreign minister appreciated the steps taken by the Kingdom’s leadership in resolving differences among the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
He particularly appreciated the recent initiative by the Saudi Government for promoting resolution of issues in Yemen through dialogue and diplomacy.
During his conversation with the Chinese foreign minister, Qureshi underscored the need to enhance cooperation in further augmenting Pakistan’s capacity to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi reassured China’s continued support to Pakistan in its fight against the pandemic.
Talking to the Foreign Minister of the UAE, Foreign Minister Qureshi offered condolences on the sad demise of the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Finance Minister of the UAE.
During conversation with Afghan foreign minister, Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s consistent support to the Afghan peace process.
On the economic front, Qureshi and his Hungarian counterpart jointly inaugurated the Hungary-Pakistan Trade and Economic Window (HPTEW) and the first Hungary-Pakistan Business Forum.
The 7th Pakistan-Japan High Level Economic Policy Dialogue was held in a virtual format.
They agreed to deliberate further on the possibility of concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)/Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The Spokesperson said the Federal Cabinet deferred the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision to import sugar, cotton and cotton yarn from India.
As also stated by the Foreign Minister after Thursday’s meeting of the Cabinet, normalization of relations with India would not be possible without India revisiting its unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, he added.
He said Prime Minister Modi wrote a letter of felicitations to Prime Minister Imran Khan on 23 March facilitating Pakistani people on the occasion of Pakistan Day.
In his response, Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked Prime Minister Modi for his message of felicitations.
In his letter to Prime Minister Modi, Prime Minister Imran Khan again reiterated his earlier stance that people of Pakistan desire peaceful, cooperative relations with all neighbors, including India.
The Prime Minister also conveyed that “durable peace and stability in South Asia is contingent upon resolving all outstanding issues, between India and Pakistan, in particular the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.”
The Prime Minister further mentioned that “creation of an enabling environment is imperative for a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue”, he said adding in his inaugural speech, Prime Minister Imran Khan had stated that “If India takes one step forward for peace, Pakistan will take two”.
“We have consistently maintained that durable peace and stability in the region is contingent upon resolution of outstanding disputes and the core issue between India and Pakistan is indeed the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” the spokesperson said,
“There is no change in Pakistan’s principled position on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute which remains anchored in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
To a question that the Modi government had hoisted the Indian flags on all government buildings and establishments in IIOJK, he said, “We believe that this step is in continuation of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 to perpetuate its illegal occupation of the territory.”
“These illegal and unilateral actions by the Indian Government have been rejected by the Kashmiris and by Pakistan. The international community, including the United Nations, international human rights and humanitarian organizations and the global media have been vocal in their condemnation of India on account of the grave human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).”
He said Pakistan welcomed the recent human rights report of the U.S. State Department on the situation in IIOJK.
