Nothing can obfuscate Indian state-terrorism perpetuated with shameless impunity in IIOJK: FO spokesperson
ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has urged the international community to generously contribute to help face the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Answering a question during his weekly-news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is quite big, which has been realized by the international community as the United Nations and various countries are coming forward to provide the required assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
The Spokesperson said Pakistan is part of that international effort and it will continue to do the maximum extent to facilitate Afghan citizens. He said Pakistan has pledged humanitarian assistance worth five billion rupees. He said Islamabad has also acceded to Afghan people’s request to let the humanitarian assistance offered by India to pass through Wagah border.
Answering another question, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan and many other countries have been saying that unfreezing Afghan assets will be an appropriate way of assisting the Afghan people at this point of time.
Replying to a question regarding progress on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Spokesperson said both countries are committed to a clean and green vision of CPEC, which is being translated into reality through projects like Karot Hydropower, which will improve Pakistan’s access to clean, low cost and sustainable energy.
Earlier at the start of the press conference, FO spokesperson said that Pakistan continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in foodstuff and medicines. We have provided 4 C-130 plane-loads and 101 truck-loads containing 1658 MT of food stuffs and medicines in recent weeks to Afghanistan. Recently, the Prime Minister has also pledged an additional 5 Billion Rupees for in-kind assistance to Afghanistan to be given in three categories: foodstuffs (wheat and rice), medicines and shelter (tents and tarpaulins). Under this, Pakistan will be providing 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghan brethren.
“And as you would have followed, as a goodwill gesture towards the brotherly Afghan people, the Government of Pakistan has decided to allow the transportation of 50000 Metric Tonnes of wheat and lifesaving medicines from India to Afghanistan via Wagah Border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes. Decision to this effect was conveyed to India’s Charge d’Affaires at the Foreign Office yesterday” he said.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that it is highly unfortunate and a matter of deep concern to see India continuing with its ill-advised hostile approach that is vitiating the environment in the region.
“I do not want to repeat, but am sure you would have seen our responses to the Indian Defence Minister’s irresponsible, provocative and gratuitous remarks recently, as well as India’s farcical and fabricated claim of downing a Pakistani F-16 aircraft, and on top of that making that the basis for awarding the Indian pilot who was shot down and captured by Pakistan as the entire world witnessed. While all this fantasizing by India would have appeased, and rather amused many, it obviously had no credibility whatsoever in the eyes of the international community” he said.
FO spokesperson said that in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Indian occupation forces are committing grave crimes against the Kashmiri people including enforced disappearances, targeted and extra-judicial killings, and collective punishment of the population. Pakistan strongly condemns Indian state-terrorism and extra-judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris in fake encounters and so-called “cordon and search operations”. 35 innocent Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces in less than two months in IIOJK. Three more Kashmiris have been martyred in a fake encounter on 24 November in Srinagar.
He said that nothing can obfuscate Indian state-terrorism perpetuated with shameless impunity in IIOJK. Nor could use of brutal force ever succeed in breaking the will of the Kashmiri people struggling for their inalienable right to self-determination, he said.
FO spokesperson said that the UN human rights machinery, independent NGOs and global media have consistently expressed concerns over increasing intimidation, harassment and reprisal attacks by Indian occupation forces against Kashmiri human rights defenders, journalists and civil society actors over the last two years. The detention of Khurram Parvez is the most recent example that has been widely condemned by the international community.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said that Pakistan calls upon the international community to hold India accountable for the egregious human rights violations of the innocent Kashmiri people in IIOJK. We also urge the international community to play its role for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people for durable peace and stability in the region, he said.