ISLAMABAD: While discussing the recent bid for Kurd secession in Iraq, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said on Monday that Pakistan fully supports Iraq’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In response to a query regarding the matter during the weekly briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson said, Pakistan is “deeply concerned over the referendum held in the Iraqi Kurdistan region on September”.
“[While] the referendum violates the Iraqi constitution and therefore lacks any legitimacy, it also presents a challenge to peace and security of Iraq and the entire region,” Zakaria said.
Iraqi Kurds backed independence from Baghdad in a referendum held on Sept 25, alarming Ankara as it faces a separatist insurgency from its own Kurdish minority.
Kurds had endorsed secession by nine to one in a vote, angering the central government in Baghdad as well as regional and world powers, who fear the referendum could lead to renewed conflict in the region.
Meanwhile, Iraq on Monday authorised foreigners stranded in Iraqi Kurdistan after an international flight ban to leave the country via Baghdad despite not having a federal visa.
Foreigners who had entered the northern autonomous region on regional visas not recognised by Baghdad could previously not travel to other parts of Iraq.
“Any person can leave the country via Baghdad without paying a fine or for an exit visa,” Interior Minister Qassem al-Araji told journalists.
Baghdad ordered the suspension of international flights to and from Iraqi Kurdistan from Friday in retaliation for the Kurds voting for independence earlier last week.
A top ministry official said he would facilitate journalist visas, which usually take at least a month to process.
No wonder the corrupt and double standard government is opposing independence for Kurdish people. Corrupt governments back each other; “birds flock together”. Then why you are backing Kashmiri separatestis? What about the integrity of Indian territories?
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