Unilateral Indian statements claiming that J&K dispute has been settled are not based on reality: FO Spokesperson

ISLAMABAD, Sep 05 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has said that Pakistan welcomes the pronouncements of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers and the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir regarding settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

At her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the meetings of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers and the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir were held in Cameron, wherein Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, represented Pakistan.

She said the joint declaration issued after the meetings, renewed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and expressed full support to their right to self-determination.

The OIC Contact group on Jammu and Kashmir also called for an early and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and as per the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Replying to a query about Indian Minister for External Affairs on Jammu and Kashmir, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan believes that the future of Jammu and Kashmir will be decided by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions that envisage a UN supervised Plebiscite across Jammu and Kashmir.

She said Pakistan believes that the unilateral statements claiming that Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been settled are not based on reality and are against the basic tenets of international law and the UN Security Council resolutions.

Responding to a question pertaining to statement of Bangladeshi Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan always wishes to have robust and multifaceted friendly relations with Bangladesh. She said there is an immense goodwill between the people of both countries and we want bilateral relations to prosper.

The Spokesperson said the cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh will further contribute to enhancing peace and friendship in the region and it will also contribute to the development of SAARC as a positive and robust institution.

The FO Spokesperson informed that the 23rd meeting of the Ministers for the Foreign Economic and Foreign Trade Activity of the SCO-member states will be held in Islamabad on 12th of September.

In its capacity as the Chair, Pakistan has extended invitations to the heads of the Ministries responsible for Foreign Economic and Foreign Trade activities of all SCO member countries.

The meeting is a regular annual mechanism of the SCO and plays an important role in promoting economic cooperation within SCO by overseeing the implementation of the provisions outlined in the programme of multilateral trade and economic cooperation of SCO member states.