Pak will continue to extend all possible support to Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination: Asim Iftikhar Ahmad
ISLAMABAD, April 25 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has said that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination as pledged to them by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. He said that Pakistan salutes the Kashmiris as they remain undaunted in their determination to stand against India’s oppressive occupation. He said that the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by a high level delegation, will be undertaking an official visit to Saudi Arabia later during the week. More details will be shared subsequently.
This was stated by FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad while addressing a weekly press conference on Monday. “We are having this briefing after a gap during which a peaceful, democratic political transition has taken place in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan. Having been elected by the National Assembly, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has assumed Office as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan on 11 April” he said.
He said that the Prime Minister has received messages of felicitation from leaders of a large number of countries, including Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Germany, UAE, Iran, Bahrain, United Kingdom, India, Malaysia, Jordan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and others. The Prime Minster also received a felicitation call from President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that as guided by the Prime Minister, Pakistan will continue to proactively advance our diplomacy and partnerships in all bilateral and multilateral domains to effectively safeguard our national interests and play our role in promoting peace and development in the region and beyond.
He said that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has assumed charge from 19 April 2022.
He said that the media have seen our statement containing strong condemnation of the recent abhorrent act of desecration of the Holy Quran during rallies in Sweden, and the offensive remarks made by a Dutch politician, attacking Islam and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Pakistan’s concerns have also been conveyed to the authorities in Sweden and The Netherlands. “We call on the international community to come together to counter Islamophobia and to demonstrate solidarity and commitment to the ideals of building peaceful and harmonious societies” he said.
He said that Pakistan has welcomed the establishment of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, upon the successful conclusion of the GCC hosted intra-Yemeni dialogue in Riyadh, and the UN Special Envoy’s announcement of a truce in Yemen. Pakistan considers this an important step in the right direction that will help promote comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis.
He said that Pakistan expresses deep concern over the recent spate of terrorist attacks in various parts of Afghanistan over the last few days. The heinous attacks include bomb blasts at mosques in Mazar-e-Sharif and IED blasts in Kabul, Jalalabad, Kunduz and other places. The Government and the people of Pakistan extend deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of those who have lost lives in these terrorist attacks and pray for speedy recovery of those injured. The people of Pakistan stand in strong solidarity with their Afghan brethren in this time of grief.
He said that the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories is of grave concern. Pakistan strongly condemns the raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the assault on worshippers, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. This is an egregious violation of all humanitarian norms and human rights laws. In recent weeks, Israeli forces have killed dozens and injured countless Palestinians in the occupied East Jerusalem and other areas. We pray for the earliest recovery of those injured. Pakistan also calls upon the international community to take urgent steps to protect innocent Palestinian lives, and uphold international law and principles of the UN Charter. “The Extra-ordinary Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee is being held in Jeddah today to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression. Pakistan is participating in the meeting as current chair of OIC-CFM” he said.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination as pledged to them by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. He said that Pakistan salutes the Kashmiris as they remain undaunted in their determination to stand against India’s oppressive occupation.
He said that extra-judicial killings continue unabated in IIOJK. During last week, in staged cordon and search operations, seven more Kashmiri youth embraced martyrdom in Shopian and Baramullah districts. Regretfully, three more innocent Kashmiri lives have been taken in Pulwama on Sunday.
“For the international community, it is extremely alarming that more than 580 innocent Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces since August 2019” he said.
He said that this streak of armed Hindutva majoritarianism is also spreading fast inside India, particularly during the Holy month of Ramadan.
This is exemplified by:
– the senseless vandalization and burning of more than 40 houses of Muslim community in Karauli, Rajasthan
– Bulldozing of Muslim-owned properties in Jahangirpuri, New Delhi
– attempts to hoist the saffron flag & undertake derogatory, provocative sloganeering at the Jamia Masjid
– brandishing of weapons by the procession of Hanuman Shobha Yatra and the
– Ram Navami riots across Madhya Pradesh and Gujrat.
He said that these despicable incidents have re-ignited the horrific memories of the Delhi Pogrom of February 2020 that was aimed to discriminate, dispossess and dehumanize the Muslim community.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that these incidents also reveal the gravity of the state-sanctioned hysteria and hatred in India against Muslims. He said that Pakistan calls upon the international community to take immediate notice of the worrying level of Islamophobia in India and impress upon India to prevent systematic human rights violations against minorities particularly Muslims.
He said that Pakistan also categorically rejects the malicious Indian propaganda regarding the alleged use of the Kartarpur Corridor for business meetings. It is obvious that this concoction is part of India’s deliberate smear campaign seeking to undermine Pakistan’s historic initiative of opening the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India and around the world.