ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to playing a constructive role in the Afghan peace talks.
At the weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Islamabad has worked closely with Washington to achieve durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan will continue to cooperate with the US and the international community towards that end.
The spokesperson said it was the desire and hope of top Pakistan leadership to see the peace process succeed and the stakeholders agree to a mutually beneficial solution that is inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive.
He reiterated that there was no military solution to the conflict.
When asked to comment on Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani’s recent statement during the visit to Washington, Chaudhri said instead of indulging in the blame game, the leadership of the war-battered country should spend its energies on making the peace dialogue successful.
He also welcomed the recent report of UN Secretary General António Guterres which highlighted the indiscriminate targeting of the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir with pellet guns.
He called on the international community to take cognisance of the plight of oppressed children. He said the meeting held in New Delhi last week was yet another attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party government to further marginalise the population to perpetuate its occupation.
He said the meeting further exposed the falsehood of the Indian narrative of so-called normalcy in the occupied region.
Chaudhri said any measures that were aimed at bringing further change in the disputed region will not be accepted by the people of Kashmir and will also be opposed by Pakistan. He said the only viable option is the solution to the dispute was in adhering to the UNSC resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
Responding to a question, the spokesperson confirmed that Pakistan is participating as an observer in the Sea Breeze 2021 naval exercise hosted by Ukraine keeping in perspective defence ties with the host.
He recalled that Ukraine also participated in the Pakistan-hosted Aman-2021 exercise. The drills are being participated in by 32 countries, including Israel.
However, he said there was no change in Islamabad’s principled position on the Palestine dispute. He said Islamabad had always called for a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders and Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.
Seperately, Chaudhri also felicitated the “all-weather strategic cooperative partner” on being declared malaria-free after a 70-year effort to wipe it out.
“Congratulations to [government and] people of China on ridding the country of Malaria as certified by WHO. From 30m[illion] cases annually in 1940 to eradicating mosquito-borne disease is indeed a great achievement,” he said in a tweet.
Congratulations to Govt & people of China on ridding the country of Malaria as certified by WHO. From 30m cases annually in 1940 to eradicating mosquito-borne disease is indeed a great achievement. Good to see our “all weather strategic cooperative partner”achieve this milestone
— Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri (@Zhchaudhri) July 1, 2021
“Good to see our all-weather strategic cooperative partner achieve this milestone.”
In a statement on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the country had now gone four years without registering a case, giving it malaria-free certification.
China’s success was hard-earned, said Ghebreyesus, and came only after decades of targeted and sustained action.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through mosquito bites.
Beijing has brought malaria cases down by using anti-malarial drugs, spraying mosquito breeding grounds, and distributing insecticide-treated nets.
Countries can apply to the WHO for certification as malaria-free after they report four consecutive years of no indigenous cases. They must then present evidence of this, and demonstration their ability to prevent any future outbreak.
