Opening Remarks by the Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Faisal at the Press Briefing held in Islamabad on Thursday (May 17, 2018)
The Director General (SA & SAARC), Dr. Mohammad Faisal, summoned the Indian Acting Deputy High Commissioner yesterday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control on 15th May 2018 in Hotspring’s Sector, resulting in the shahadat of 1 innocent civilian (Chaudry Muzaffar s/o Mr. Alif resident of village Dehra Sher Khan). The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 1000 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the shahadat of 24 innocent civilians, while injuring 107 others. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017, when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations.The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.
Indian state terrorism continued unabated in the past week in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Indian occupation forces constantly terrorize the people of Jammu and Kashmir with violent operations, fake encounters, illegal house searches, targeting people and damaging properties in Srinagar, Shopian, Pulwama, Islamabad, Kulgam, Kupwara, Bandipore and Baramulla districts of Indian occupied Kashmir.
We condemn the unlawful detention of the Hurriyet leaders including Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Massrat Alam Bhat, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Dr. Qasim Fakhtoo, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Meraj-ud-din Kalwal, Farooq Ahmad Dar, 55-year-old, Syeda Aasiya Andrabi, Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, as well as students and youth who are languishing in different jails of occupied Kashmir and in India.
The arrest of Hurriyat leaders Bashir Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Rafiq Shah Owais under draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) for merely participating in funeral prayers of martyr Professor Dr Muhammad Rafiq Bhat in Ganderbal is highly deplorable. We urge the international community to play its role in calling upon India to account for its crimes against humanity in Jammu & Kashmir. Like many other public figures and leader of IoK, Mr. Shabir Shah has been arrested for his non-violent political struggle for the resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute. Despite the urgent need to ensure his safety, he has not been shifted to a high-risk ward and authorities continue to torment him by giving him no access to medical facilities. Several other incarcerated leaders and political activists languish in various Indian jails for their political beliefs. We condemn the political vendetta they face and will continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the oppressed people of IoK for the realization of the inalienable right to self determination.
On Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to occupied Kashmir, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik have called for a march towards Srinagar’s Lal Chowk Srinagar on Saturday (May 19).
Pakistan has noted with grave concern that despite calls by the international community to comply with UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions on the two-state solution, US has moved its Embassy to the Holy City of Jerusalem. This represents a violation of international law and several United Nations Security Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 476 and 478. The Government and people of Pakistan stand firmly with the Palestinian people also renews the call for establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The Government of Pakistan strongly condemns the merciless killings and injuries to innocent unarmed Palestinian civilian protesters by the occupying authorities. The protests are a consequence of the relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in opposition to the position of the United Nations and under international law. Pakistan calls on the United Nations and the international community to investigate and bring to end the use of force, which has resulted in causalities of innocent Palestinian civilians, including women, children and the elderly.
The 4th meeting of Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) was held in Islamabad on May 14 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The delegations were led by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. In pursuance of the seven principles agreed in the meeting between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during his visit to Kabul on 6 April 2018, the two sides finalized the Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). This operationalizes the six working groups envisaged under APAPPS.
APAPPS provides a framework to deepen interaction in all spheres of bilateral engagements. It is also a mechanism for finding solutions to bilateral areas of concern. Both sides agreed that effective and full implementation of APAPPS would contribute towards the common objectives of eliminating terrorism and achieving peace, stability, prosperity and development of the people of the two countries.
Pakistan condemns the multiple missile attacks on Jazan and Riyadh by Houthi militia. The successful interception of the missiles by the Saudi forces prevented loss of innocent lives and is commendable. Pakistan reiterates its solidarity with Saudi leadership and people and stands by Saudi Arabia against any threats to its territorial integrity and threats against Harmain Sharifain.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi extended the deepest felicitations to Dr. Mahathir Muhammad on becoming Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Prime Minister underscored that the unprecedented victory of Pakatan Harapan is the clear demonstration of Malaysian people’s trust in the dynamic and inspirational leadership of Dr. Mahathir Muhammad. The Prime Minister underlined that the relationship between our two brotherly Muslim countries has grown from strength to strength over the decades and also hoped that under the leadership of the Prime Minster Dr. Mahathir, the bilateral relations between two countries will be further broadened and deepened in diverse fields, particularly economic and trade.
