National

During its visit to India, we expect Pakistan Cricket Team to receive the requisite courtesies & full safety & security: FO Spokesperson

ISLAMABAD, August 07 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has said that during its visit to India, we expect the Pakistan Cricket Team to receive the requisite courtesies and full safety and security. Our deep concerns about the security of Pakistan’s Cricket Team are being conveyed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Indian authorities. She said that Pakistan believes that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have the right to determine their own future in a UN-supervised plebiscite as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. She 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.

This was stated by FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch while addressing the weekly press briefing on Monday.

FO spokesperson said that the highlights of last week include the incoming visits of Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Vice Premier of China, He Lifeng and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian; Foreign Minister’s visit to the United Arab Emirates and his participation in a Special Session of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Vice Premier of the State Council of China, He Lifeng, visited Pakistan as Special Representative of President Xi Jinping in connection with the 10th anniversary of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The visit was an opportunity for the two sides to discuss bilateral relations and explore new horizons of collaboration in trade and investment. The two sides reaffirmed their continued commitment to CPEC, expressed their firm resolve to build upon the achievements of the last decade, and to continue cooperation for further developing it as a high-quality demonstrable project of BRI.

CPEC has brought huge dividends to Pakistan as manifested in the creation of over 200,000 jobs; addition of 8000 MW power to national grid; building of 510 kilometers of highways and 932 kilometers of road network; and a 820-kilometer long optical fiber line.

Areas of cooperation under Phase-II of CPEC include rural revitalization; agricultural development; industrialization; green development and science and technology. The two countries remain committed to enhance cooperation under CPEC and develop it as a connectivity project for the region.

She said that during the visit of Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, Cevdet Yilmaz, the two sides jointly inaugurated the fourth MILGEM Class Corvette – PNS Tariq at the Karachi Shipyard. The project to construct four corvettes for the Pakistan Navy was initiated in 2018. The project symbolizes close partnership between Pakistan and Turkey in defence production.

During his visit to Islamabad, Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, held wide-ranging talks with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani and Speaker of National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf.

The two sides agreed to further strengthen multidimensional cooperation in trade and economy, energy, and culture and arts. There were major convergences on a range of issues including regional connectivity and Islamophobia.

Three key documents of understanding were signed during the visit. These include the Five-Year Trade Cooperation Plan (2023-28), which sets a bilateral trade target of US$ 5 billion; prioritizes removing impediments on bilateral trade, finalization of the FTA, and establishment of institutional linkages between respective private sectors. The two sides came to an understanding on repatriation of ‘sentenced’ persons in respective jails; to release all fishermen in custody, to waive-off any fines imposed on them; and to release their vessels. A document of economic and trade cooperation was also signed between the Chambers of Commerce of Tehran and Karachi.      

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch During his one-day visit to the UAE on 30th July 2023, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari conveyed heartfelt condolences to His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sad demise of the His Highness Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two Foreign Ministers discussed bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UAE and exchanged views on regional and global developments in the region.

She said that on 31st July 2023, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the 18th Extraordinary Meeting of the OIC CFM convened to debate the recurring incidents of the desecration of the Holy Quran. The Foreign Minister condemned the Islamophobic and hateful acts of desecration of the Holy Quran and underscored the need for shunning religious hatred and for promoting inter-faith harmony and peaceful co-existence. He reiterated the call for appointment of a UN Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the Extraordinary CFM that adopted a comprehensive resolution endorsing the 8-point action plan unanimously agreed upon by UN Human Rights Council to counter incitement to hatred, discrimination, stigmatization and violence based on religion and belief” she said.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Pakistan’s Cricket Team will participate in the ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in India. Our decision to participate reflects Pakistan’s consistent position that sports cannot not be mixed with politics. Pakistan’s constructive and responsible approach contrasts with that of India which has repeatedly politicized sports by refusing to send its Cricket Team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup or denying visas for Pakistan’s Blind Cricket Team.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that on 5th of August, the Pakistani nation expressed complete solidarity with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

She said that since 2019, India has taken a series of measures to alter the demographic makeup of IIOJK, and intensified its suppression of the Kashmiri people. India has carried out a selective delimitation of electoral constituencies, issued fake domiciles to millions of non-Kashmiris, and added hundreds of thousands of temporary residents to alter the existing voter rolls. These measures are aimed at disenfranchising the people of Kashmir and converting them into a disempowered minority in their own land in gross violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.