ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday once again urged the international community to take notice of the current regional situation and hold India accountable for its illegal actions which is “imperilling peace and stability in South Asia”.
“We also urge the world community to work for ensuring the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in her weekly briefing.
She reminded the global community that May 7, marks the 227th day of continued oppression in IOJ&K and of the inhumane lockdown that the people of the region were put under on August 5, 2019. She added that it is a matter of grave concern that the situation in IOJ&K continues to deteriorate under the brutal military crackdown by Indian forces.
Farooqui said that since yesterday, Indian forces have once again completely shut down Internet services in the occupied valley after the life of another Kashmiri resistance fighter was taken in a “so-called encounter”. Moreover, the FO asserted, that there are reports of Indian security forces firing pellet guns and live bullets on peaceful protesters, killing at least one innocent Kashmiri and wounding scores of others. “These Indian actions are highly condemnable,” she said.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the ongoing state terrorism and extra judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris in so-called ‘cordon-and-search’ operations in IOJ&K,” stated the FO spokesperspn.
“The intensified resistance in IOJ&K is a direct consequence of Indian campaign of oppression and brutalisation of Kashmiris. We also categorically reject, once again, the baseless Indian allegations of “infiltration”, which are designed to divert attention from India’s grave human rights violations in IOJ&K and to create a pretext for “false flag” operation,” she said.
“We once again call upon the international community to take notice of the situation and hold India accountable for its illegal actions, which are imperiling peace and stability in South Asia.”
‘UNITED AGAINST COVID-19’:
The press briefing also informed that President Arif Alvi represented Pakistan at the Special Online Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement convened by the president of Azerbaijan in the capacity of NAM’s current chair, on the theme of “United against Covid-19”.
According to the FO, the president gave Pakistan’s perspective on measures taken at the national level to mitigate and respond to the coronavirus and socio-economic challenges arising from the pandemic.
“Pakistan’s national response includes targeted approach of containment, strengthening health system and financial support to the vulnerable individuals and small businesses.”
Stressing that the crisis should be converted into an opportunity, President Alvi underscored the importance of a holistic response to Covid-19 with broader development dimensions taken, along with addressing the health system challenges, stated the FO spokesperson.
In this context, he also highlighted the significance of the prime minister’s Global Initiative for Debt Relief, and the response it had garnered from international donors and financial institutions.
“In the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, and as part of the national effort, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Missions abroad continue to provide our overseas communities with relief and assistance wherever required,” she added.
