Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry on Monday termed Indian firing at the border deplorable, saying that India should act pragmatically in order to resolve bilateral issues.

Talking to reporters after attending a book-launch ceremony at Quaid-e-Azam University, he said that Pakistan would soon hand over dossiers of Indian involvement in Pakistan to the UN secretary general.

Chaudhry said that Pakistan respected the 2003 ceasefire with India. “Pakistan has lodged its protest with India at diplomatic level against the recent incident of unprovoked firing. Pakistan also expects that United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan will soon submit its findings on the incidents with its headquarters. Jammu Kashmir is a long-standing item on Pakistan’s agenda, to which it will continue to extend support,” he said.

He said Pakistan expected from the United Nations to play its role in resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of its own Security Council. “Pakistan is in favour of promotion of the peace process in Afghanistan. Being the member of Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG), Pakistan is committed to the continuity of the peace process,” he said.

Responding to reports of a Taliban delegation currently visiting Pakistan for talks, Chaudhry said he had no information on that. “Any visit of Afghan Taliban delegation to Pakistan is not in my notice,” he said. He said that Pakistan, as member of QCG, was making its own efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan and would continue to do so in future as well.

Earlier addressing the audience, the foreign secretary had said the book: Basic Facts about the United Nations in Urdu language launched by the Quaid-e-Azam University would help the common man understand the UN charter and its role in ensuring international peace and security.

He highlighted the steps and achievements taken by the UN in maintaining international peace at the celebration of the 71st anniversary of United Nations.

Chaudhry said that Pakistan adhered to the UN charter of sovereignty and non-intervention and it had always maintained its commitment to the world body.

“Despite its commitment, Pakistan has always suffered heavily by foreign interventions due to non-implementation of these principles in their true sense,” he said.

Ambassador of Switzerland to Pakistan Marc P George appreciated Pakistani troops deployed around the world on UN peacekeeping missions.

UN Resident Coordinator Neil Ruhne and UN Information Centre Director Vittorio Cammarota also appreciated Pakistan’s role in UN peacekeeping missions. Quaid-e-Azam University Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf said that QAU was the top-ranking universities of Pakistan.