–FO says Pakistan receiving ‘wide acknowledgement and appreciation’ from stakeholders for role in US-Taliban talks
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Faisal on Thursday criticised the Indian troops in the occupied Kashmir for continued atrocities and urged the United Nations to take action against the rights violations committed by the Indian forces.
During the weekly press briefing, the spokesperson hailed the recent report released by the global body over the sufferings being inflicted on Kashmiris. He said the report was a testament to the oppression and tyranny occurring in the occupied land.
However, he stressed that there was no parallel of IoK with Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, as the latter two were open for foreign visitors. The FO asked the UN to take action based on the findings and relieve the Kashmiris from the continuous assault.
Talking about the prime minister’s visit to the United States, the spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister of Pakistan would depart for the US on July 21 till July 23.”
DOHA TALKS
Terming “positive” the recent Doha talks between Afghans and Taliban, the spokesperson said Pakistan was receiving ‘wide acknowledgement and appreciation’ from the stakeholders for its facilitatory role to help continue the peace process.
“Our efforts to facilitate the concerned groups to continue negotiations for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution to the conflict are getting recognition,” he said.
The two-day peace talks attended by representatives of Afghan government and Taliban in Doha, Qatar, on July 8-9 concluded with both sides calling to end civilian casualties and pledging to guarantee the protection of public institutions.
Ahead of Doha talks, the Afghan leaders had earlier met in Bhurban in June, which was followed by the visit of President Ashraf Ghani to Islamabad.
The FO spokesman, however, clarified that Pakistan’s role was purely meant to facilitate the process.
“Pakistan wants nothing more than a politically negotiated intra-Afghan solution to the conflict,” he said.
He said Pakistan would continue its policy to support international efforts meant for durable peace in Afghanistan.
KARTARPUR TALKS
On the upcoming meeting between Pakistan and India on Kartarpur Corridor on July 14, the FO spokesperson said the delegations would negotiate the agreement from around 9 am to 1 pm at the Wagah Border.
He refused to share further details, saying that Pakistan would honour the “sanctity of the agreement” by not revealing information to media before time.
However, he said a press conference would be held after the meeting for an update for public consumption.
On verdict of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav due to be announced by International Court of Justice on July 17, the spokesman said “Pakistan was hoping for the best”, however, could not pre-judge the decision since the matter was sub judice.
On recent tension between the United States and Iran viz-a-viz nuclear deal, he said Pakistan desired all members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to negotiate the issue through dialogue.
The spokesman appreciated the recently launched second report of Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that documented the atrocities in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK).
