- FO Spokesperson says Pakistan played an exemplary role in war against terrorism rendering immense sacrifices in men & material
- Rejects Indian objections to FM Qureshi’s telephone call to Mirwaiz
ISLAMABAD, January 31: Pakistan has urged India to stop playing anti Pakistan rhetoric in its domestic politics and conduct elections on its own internal policies.
This was stated by Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal during his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.
The Spokesperson said summoning of Pakistani high Commissioner late last night by Indian Foreign Secretary on the phone call by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi to Mirwaiz Umer Farooq is just a political gimmickry and electioneering.
The Spokesperson said Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua summoned Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad on Thursday and lodged protest with him over late night summoning of our high commissioner.
The Foreign Secretary stressed that the status of Jammu and Kashmir is internationally accepted as disputed territory and Pakistan will continue to support Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination.
The spokesperson said as Indian atrocities continue in Occupied Kashmir we urge the international community to call upon India to stop bloodshed in Kashmir.
He said 5th February-Kashmir Solidarity Day is also commemorative of 26th year of detention of Dr Qasim Faktu, husband of Aasia Indrabi. He said the detention of both in Indian jails on trumped up charges is gross violation of human rights by India. Responding to a question about Afghan peace talks the Foreign Office Spokesperson said that Pakistan has on the request of the United States and Afghanistan facilitated the Afghan peace process and dialogue with the Taliban as a shared responsibility for peace in the region. He said there are certain actors who want perpetual conflict in the region for their vested interests but Pakistan urges United States, Afghanistan and Taliban to remain watchful of these detracting elements who are trying to undermine the nascent peace process. To another question, Dr Muhammad Faisal said the announcement by Pakistan’s Prime Minister about keeping open the Torkham border is a major step to promote bilateral trade and people to people contacts with Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has always emphasized the need for deepening bilateral relations with Afghanistan. The Spokesperson said with the efforts of Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul and consulate in Qandahar a Pakistani prisoner Ejaz Shah has been released before seven months of completion of his sentence and has been handed over to Pakistani authorities by Afghanistan. Replying to a question regarding use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities, the spokesperson said that India is callously continuing with state sponsored terrorism and it should alleviate Pakistan’s concerns regarding use of Afghan soil for launching terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil instead of leveling farfetched allegations against Islamabad. – Sabah
