- Spokesperson says prospects of any normalisation at this stage seem bleak
- Says Pakistan is concerned about situation in Middle East as a result of illegal acts by Israel
- MoU signed with Iraqi government regarding arrangements for pilgrims: FO
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday categorically declared there were no bilateral talks, either overt or covert, taking place between Pakistan and India on any of the issues including restoration of trade ties.
“At this point there are no bilateral talks between the two countries on any of the issues including restoration of trade ties”, foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters in response to a question at the weekly briefing.
“First, you would recall the developments that took place in 2019 and the illegal and unilateral steps taken by India in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Following that, several measures were taken by Pakistan, including the suspension of bilateral trade,” the FO spokesperson elaborated.
During the briefing, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan strongly condemned the killing of four Kashmiri youth by Indian troops in Doda district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (.
“This brutal action by the Indian occupation authorities is yet another example of their illegal and oppressive acts against the Kashmiri people,” she added.
“We urge the international community to take immediate and decisive action to hold India accountable for its egregious human rights violations in IIOJK and to take steps to protect the rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people.”
She reiterated that Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.
Pakistan will welcome Gaza ceasefire talks
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan repeatedly since October 2023 called for an urgent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.
“We have called on the international community to bring an end to the massacre and genocide of the Palestinian people. And in that context, we welcome any initiative that may lead to peace and dialogue and resolution of the current situation where Palestinians continue to be under attack by the Israeli occupation authorities,” she said.
She said Pakistan was deeply concerned at the recent developments in the Middle East. “We are concerned that the situation in the Middle East is a result of the illegal acts by Israel against the people of Palestine and its adventurism against its neighbours and countries in the region.”
“We also support the statement which was made by OIC that held Israel fully responsible for its crime of assassinating the political bureau chief of Hamas in Tehran. OIC called that attack a crime of aggression and flagrant violation of international law and a serious infringement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Iran. We believe that it is the responsibility of the United Nations under international law to ensure that there is peace in the region that Israel is held accountable for its acts. We reiterate to call on all parties to ensure that peace prevails in the Middle East,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated.
To a question, the FO Spokesperson said that foreign governments should refrain from interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs. She said that no information had been provided by the US government regarding Asif Merchant, saying Pakistan was waiting for it.
Mumtaz Zahra said that Pakistan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Iraqi government regarding arrangements for pilgrims.
Talking about the health issues, the FO spokesperson stated: “We have seen the World Health Organization (WHO) advisory on monkeypox, the Ministry of National Health can only give a formal response in this regard”.
The spokesperson of the Foreign Office added that there are active diplomatic missions of Pakistan and Afghanistan and there are high-speed contacts in all areas of mutual relations between the two. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has changed the visa guidelines for officials of the National Assembly Secretariat and Senate Secretariat. It is to discourage the misuse of the visa policy.
He also said that Pakistan is presiding over the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the process of ensuring the participation of the participating governments in the SCO meeting is ongoing.
