ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed concerns over the health and safety of incarcerated Kashmiri leaders as well as other innocent Kashmiris languishing in jails across India on trumped-up and fake charges.
Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri in his weekly media briefing on Thursday said that the coronavirus situation in India has been worsening and most of the jails are overcrowded and do not have any provisions against the Covid-19.
“Reportedly, some of the Kashmiri leaders in Indian jails have already contracted the coronavirus. Unfortunately, they are not even provided any medical treatment,” the spokesperson said.
Given the worst pandemic situation in India, the Indian government must immediately release the incarcerated Kashmiri leadership and all innocent Kashmiris, he demanded.
“We once again call upon the international community, particularly the United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and human rights organisations to take cognisance of this dire humanitarian situation,” he said.
The incarcerated Kashmiri leaders include Aasiya Andrabi, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Ashraf Sehrai, Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Syed Shahid Yousuf, Shakeel Ahmed, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Fehmeeda Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, Zahoor Ahmed, and others.
The FO spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s expression of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of Covid-19 that has hit the region hard. As a gesture of solidarity, Pakistan has also offered relief support to India, he said, adding: “We are ready to immediately provide ventilators, Bi-PAP, digital X-ray machines, PPEs, and related items.”
Chaudhri said that Pakistan has no aggressive designs against any country, but is fully capable and ready to respond to any misadventure.
He said that Pakistan’s armed forces remain prepared to tackle any misadventure and are fully capable of defending the country’s geographical boundaries.
Answering a question, he said that Pakistan wants resolution of all outstanding disputes, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, with India through dialogue, but that must be meaningful and result-oriented. He said that onus is on India to create an enabling environment for talks.
Replying to a question on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom report, he said that Pakistan believes that the report’s findings on Pakistan lack objectivity, besides making unsubstantiated assertions.
In his response to Saudi Arabia’s initiative for peace with Iran, he welcomed the move and said Pakistan has always stressed avoiding any conflict and resolving differences and disputes through political and diplomatic means.
He said that Pakistan’s missions, all across the world, have standing instructions to extend maximum facilitation to the Pakistani community in their respective jurisdictions.
Regarding Dr Aafia Siddiqui, he said that the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC and the consulate-general in Houston remain in contact with her and her attorney.
Upon seeing media reports, Pakistan’s mission has once again contacted the concerned US authorities and did not receive any such information as is being reported in the media. “Our Mission has made an urgent request for another consular access/visitation to Aafia Siddiqui. The mission will remain in contact with the concerned US authorities regarding Siddiqui’s welfare,” he added.
