Pakistan has no designs to enter into any talks with TTP: FO Spokesperson
ISLAMABAD, July 11 (SABAH): Pakistan says it has no designs to enter into any talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
At her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the terrorist entity is involved in the killing of Pakistani and foreign citizens inside Pakistan.
The Spokesperson said Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. She said we expect the Afghan authorities to uphold their sovereignty and take action against terrorist groups which have found sanctuaries inside Afghanistan and using their territory for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.
Responding to a question, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan is committed to implement Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan. She said the first phase of this plan is near completion and alluded to the illegal foreigners including Afghans repatriated to their home countries.
The FO Spokesperson clarified that Pakistan has not given any understanding to the UNHCR for the suspension of the plan. She pointed out that the government has approved one-year extension of the validity of Proof of Registration cards of the Afghan refugees.
To a question, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Pakistan and the United States have a multifaceted and a robust partnership. She said we believe that this relationship should move forward on the basis of mutual respect, sovereign equality and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.
She said that at the invitation of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived in Pakistan on Thursday on a two-day official visit.
FO spokesperson said that President Aliyev will meet with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The two sides will engage in wide-ranging discussions on areas of mutual interest to further strengthen bilateral strategic cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
She said that the Fourth Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Pakistan and the Republic of Estonia was held on Wednesday in Islamabad. Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe), Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan led the Pakistan side, while Director General of the Department of Asia, the Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, Ambassador Kristi Karelsohn, headed the Estonian side.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the two sides expressed satisfaction at the trajectory of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Estonia and reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance bilateral engagement and dialogue. The two sides also extensively reviewed the ongoing bilateral cooperation and agreed to further intensify collaboration in trade and economy, information and digital technology and education.
She said that the regional and global developments of mutual concern were also discussed. The two sides agreed to consult closely on all issues of mutual interest including at the various multilateral forums.
During her visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General Karelsohn also called on Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi.
She said that Pakistan strongly condemns this week’s indiscriminate attacks by Israeli occupation forces on four schools in Gaza resulting in the massacre of dozens of women and children who were taking shelter there. These attacks are yet another piece of evidence of Israel’s genocidal campaign against the people of Gaza.
She said that the indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations and facilities is a grave violation of international law and constitutes war crimes. With its latest actions, Israeli occupation forces have once again demonstrated their contempt for international law and the basic tenets of decency and acceptable international behaviour.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that these flagrant violations of international humanitarian law must not be permitted to become the new norm. We call on the international community to take urgent measures to bring an immediate end to Israel’s campaign of terror and the genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. The time has come to hold Israel accountable for its crimes and its flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
She said that the 93rd ‘Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir’ (Kashmir Martyrs Day) will be observed on the 13th of July. This day commemorates the martyrdom of 22 Kashmiris, who sacrificed their lives in Srinagar in 1931 braving the indiscriminate firing of Dogra forces of the erstwhile ‘Maharaja’ (Prince) of Jammu and Kashmir. We salute their valour, which kindled a valiant movement for the rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people, and for their right to self-determination. This movement continues to this day.
She said that on a pattern similar to the Dogra forces, the Indian Forces have killed thousands of Kashmiris over the last few decades, simply for demanding their rights. The iconic Kashmiri youth leader Burhan Muzaffar Wani was one of the hundreds of Kashmiri youth, who have fallen victim to extra-judicial killings in IIOJK. His eighth martyrdom anniversary was observed on the 8th of July. In this week of ‘Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir’, we once again urge the Government of India to bring an end to its campaign of extra-judicial killings and indiscriminate use of lethal force against the Kashmiri people.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.