It is India’s hostile behaviour that has brought us to a situation where dialogue process is under suspension: FO Spokesperson
ISLAMABAD, Mar 04 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad says Pakistan wants balanced, objective and broad-based relations with all countries including the United States and the European Union.
Answering a question at his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan pursues a clear-minded and well thought out foreign policy. Responding to another question, Spokesperson said Pakistan also wants cordial relations with its neighbours, including India.
He said it is India’s hostile behaviour that has brought us to a situation where dialogue process is under suspension. He said India is also involved in gross human rights violations in IIOJK. He said such acts are serious violations, which are impeding normalization of ties with India.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said India is also involved in subversive activities and fanning terrorism inside Pakistan. He said arrest of Indian Spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has exposed the real face of India’s terrorist activities in Pakistan and the region.
He said Pakistan is committed to confront this policy of India, which is employing terrorism as an instrument of state policy and we are determined to fight it till the very end.
Replying to a question, Spokesperson said Pakistan Mission in Ukraine is working round the clock to provide all possible assistance and cooperation to evacuate Pakistani citizens to safer places.
“We have been closely following the situation in Ukraine, and have remained proactively engaged with members of the international community” he said.
He said that Pakistan is committed to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter: self-determination of peoples, non-use or threat of use of force, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and pacific settlement of disputes. Equally, Pakistan upholds the principle of equal security for all. These principles must be consistently and universally respected.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the recent turn of events. This reflects a failure of diplomacy. Prime Minister Imran Khan regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine, and said that Pakistan had hoped that diplomacy could avert military conflict.
“We have since repeatedly stressed the need for de-escalation, renewed negotiations, sustained dialogue, and continuous diplomacy” FO spokesperson said.
He said that all efforts must be made to avoid further escalation of violence and loss of life as well as military, political and economic tensions which can pose an unprecedented threat to international peace and security and global economic stability. As consistently underlined by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the developing countries are hit the hardest economically by conflict anywhere.
“We hope the talks initiated between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine will succeed in bringing about a cessation of hostilities and normalization of the situation. A diplomatic solution in accordance with relevant multilateral agreements, international law, and the provisions of the UN Charter is indispensable” he said.
He said that Pakistan also supports all efforts to provide humanitarian relief to civilians in the affected areas.
“We are most concerned about the safety and welfare of Pakistani citizens and students in Ukraine. The majority of them have been evacuated through a concerted effort in coordination with our concerned Missions there who have been working round the clock. Those who remain will be evacuated soonest. We appreciate the cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities as well as the Polish, Romanian, Hungarian and other neighboring countries in this context” he said.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that 23rd February marked the second anniversary of the horrific Delhi Riots Pogrom of 2020 – a harrowing manifestation of India’s systematic campaign to discriminate against, dispossess and dehumanize the Muslim community and its worrying slide towards saffronization. He said that It also marked the 31st anniversary of the despicable mass rapes of Kashmiri women in Kunan and Poshpura villages of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 1991. Despite lapse of 31 years, the perpetrators (including Colonel K.S. Dalal and his 125 associates of 4 Rajputana Rifle) of this heinous act are yet to be brought to justice. This lack of accountability is a frightening example of the brazen impunity which defines India’s gruesome human rights violations and reign of terror in IIOJK that continues unabated. He said that during the last month alone 8 Kashmiris have been martyred in IIOJK.
FO spokesperson said that the international community must compel India to halt its state-terrorism in IIOJK, immediately cease human rights violations, lift the inhumane military siege, and let the people of IIOJK exercise their just right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
He said that 27th February marked the third anniversary of Pakistan’s exemplary response to India’s illegitimate and ill-conceived military airstrikes inside Pakistani airspace, in utter violation of the United Nations Charter and International Law. The botched attempt at infringing Pakistan’s sovereignty was swiftly riposted by our valiant armed forces. Not only did Pakistan resolutely safeguard its sovereignty; it also displayed exemplary restraint.
He said that Pakistan is a proponent for regional peace and stability. At the same time, our desire for peace is accompanied by a strong resolve and capability for self-defence, as was also demonstrated by the interception by Pak Navy of an Indian submarine, yet another time. India will be better served to remember this and avoid embarking on military adventurism.