FO Spokesperson urges int’l community including UN to take immediate cognizance of grave situation in IIOJK
ISLAMABAD, Dec 10 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad says all arrangements have been finalized to host 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on 19th of this month in Islamabad.
During his weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Friday, FO spokesperson said we are getting positive response on the invitation extended to member countries, observer states and P5 countries to attend the extraordinary session.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the Session’s focus is on serious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
On the plight of Kashmiris in IIOJK, the FO Spokesperson urged international community including the United Nations to take immediate cognizance of grave situation in IIOJK.
Answering a question on Winter Olympics to be held in China, he said Pakistan oppose the politicization of sports and hopes that all nations would come together in Beijing to showcase their sporting skills.
He said that Pakistan is looking forward to hosting the 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on 19 December in Islamabad. The Session’s focus is on the serious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
FO spokespersons said that we believe OIC’s leadership can help galvanize other international actors, and this Meeting will be a timely opportunity to consider practical arrangements and concrete steps to correspond to the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people. As we prepare and finalize arrangements for the Conference, we shall continue to brief and update you.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that as a testament to Pakistan’s credentials in multilateral diplomacy, Pakistan was elected Chair of G-77 and China for the year 2022, and re-elected to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the term 2022-2024. In Vienna, Pakistan was elected as member of the Industrial Development Board, and Program and Budget Committee of UNIDO.
He said that in the context of economic diplomacy, on 5 December, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed two agreements related to Workers’ Recruitment and Skills Verification program of Pakistani workforce being employed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He said that the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was commemorated on 25 November, and on Friday we marked the Human Rights Day. In upholding universal respect for human rights, these occasions are also reminders to the international community to call for immediate cessation of widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law especially in situations of foreign occupation such as Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He said that this week, 6 December marked the 29th year of the tragic demolition of the centuries-old Babri Masjid by BJP-RSS zealots in India. The new illegal structure being built at the site of the historic mosque will remain illegitimate in the eyes of Muslims and conscientious persons across the world. It is reprehensible that today’s Hindu majoritarian India presents a gruesome reality for its minorities, particularly Muslims, who are being persecuted in all walks of life with complete impunity and state complicity.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that the plight of the Kashmiris in IIOJK is also evident before the international community. We strongly condemn the continuing military crackdowns, arbitrary detentions, coercion, use of force, and extra-judicial killings in fake encounters and staged operations by the Indian occupation forces in IIOJK, where at least 21 Kashmiris have been martyred in the last one month. Persisting with their callous behavior, the occupation forces even deprive the bereaved families from carrying out last rites of their loved ones.
FO spokespersons said that the international community, including the United Nations must take immediate cognizance of the grave situation in IIOJK, and it is in that context that the Foreign Minister has addressed another letter to the President of the UN Security Council the Secretary-General to apprise the world body entrusted with maintenance of international peace and security and a responsibility for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with its own resolutions.