Daily Times

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Thursday reiterated the country’s stance on the Junagadh issue, decrying India’s illegal occupation of the region.

Speaking during a weekly press briefing, the spokesperson said that Pakistan’s policy statement regarding Junagadh – a city in India’s Gujarat that was annexed in 1948 – “has always been clear”.

“Junagadh was annexed to Pakistan. The country sees this matter in historical and legal perspective. Junagadh was a part of Pakistan and India’s illegal occupation of it is a violation of the United Nations Charter and international norms,” she stressed.

Mumtaz emphasised that Pakistan “has always been raising the Junagadh issue at political and diplomatic forums and wants a peaceful solution to it.”

“Pakistan also considers the Junagadh issue as an unfinished agenda like Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK),” she added.

Furthermore, during the press briefing, Mumtaz highlighted Pakistan’s willingness to develop “positive and strong relations” with Bangladesh which, according to her, “will improve further with the cooperation of the government of both countries”.

“The strong relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are beneficial for the people of both countries,” she told the reporters.

Additionally, she revealed that invitations have been sent to the heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.

The prime minister of Pakistan is expected to address the UN General Assembly, the spokesperson of the Foreign Office said.