ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday called for restoration of Democratic Institutions in Egypt and urged the immediate release of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders have been detained since the military overthrew him from power on July 3 in response to massive protests calling for his ouster.
“Pakistan and Egypt enjoy close and friendly relations based on strong bonds of fraternity‚ mutual respect and common aspirations of the peoples of the two countries, the Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement.
It is therefore, the spokesman said, with a sense of deep concern that Pakistan wishes to express its anguish at the loss of innocent lives in the violence which has currently engulfed Egypt.
The Foreign Office spokesman said that this is a major setback for Egypt’s return to democracy and to the achievement of aims and objectives of January 2011 revolution.
The spokesman said that “Pakistan opposes military interventions for resolution of disputes in any country.”
“Pakistan urges all sides in Egypt to address the legal and constitutional issues in an inclusive and peaceful manner to enable the country to successfully restore the democratic institutions as early as possible,” he said.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday also called on the Egyptian military to free overthrown president Mohamed Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood leaders.
Ban demanded that Morsi and his high-level backers “be released or have their cases reviewed transparently without delay,” said deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey.
DND
