Daily Times

As the curfew in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) entered the 151st day, Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its call to the Indian government to remove military and communication blackout and allow media and human rights observers there to see the situation.

“Today is the 151st day of the humanitarian nightmare in Indian-held Kashmir. It is characterised by continued military lockdown and a complete communication blockout,” Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in her maiden weekly press briefing here after assuming the office. She reiterated Pakistan’s call for the Indian government to immediately restore the internet and mobile phone service and release all prisoners, especially the civil society members and abducted young children.

The spokesperson asked the Indian government to remove Public Safety Act and allow the independent media and international human rights observers to independently visit the region and observe the situation in Kashmir.

In her briefing, the spokesperson gave an overview of the foreign policy developments made during the last year. “Throughout the year 2019, Pakistan’s foreign policy made significant strides on multiple tracks. New partnerships were forged and historic and time tested relations were further fortified,” she remarked.

She said Prime Minister Imran Khan made a landmark speech at the United Nations General Assembly and met world leaders on the sidelines to highlight the Indian atrocities in Kashmir, particularly in the aftermath of the Indian unilateral actions on August 5, 2019.

She said the Chinese partnership during the last year increased as the prime minister made two visits to China in April and October. She said Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace and stability has been continuing, be it Kashmir, Afghanistan or other countries. She said during the previous year, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi maintained dynamic engagements with his counterparts and recalled the different moots hosted by Pakistan or attended by the foreign minister abroad to discuss Afghanistan and the regional peace and developments.

She said consequent to Pakistan’s efforts, the United Nations Security Council held a special session to discuss Kashmir, which was in fact the recognition of Pakistan’s stance of it being a disputed territory. She said in a year, the foreign minister wrote seven letters to the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council on the evolving situation in the occupied valley, besides the special meeting of the OIC Contact Group held on the issue. She said Pakistan continued its positive contribution to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan which was also acknowledged by the world.

The spokesperson said 2019 has been a busy year concerning the visits of the foreign dignitaries as the country hosted the Emir of Qatar, Afghan president, Malaysian prime minister, crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, British royal couple, Queen Maxima, vice presidents of Cuba and European Union and president of UN General Assembly, which is the testimony of Pakistan’s active engagement with the world community.

She said the consequences of Pakistan’s efforts to highlight the Indian atrocities in Kashmir are unfolding as the developments taking place in the occupied valley are the centre of world attention and the global community is awakened to what is happening there. She told media that the US Congress held two successive hearings on Kashmir while 80 parliamentarians raised voice on the issue. Moreover, the issue was also raised and Indian atrocities condemned in the parliaments of UK, EU, France and Iran.

She also recalled the prime minister’s address at Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, warning the world community of imminent danger posed by the refugee crisis due to the demographic changes engineered in the Kashmir following the Indian unilateral actions.

Mentioning the special flight arranged to bring Pakistani immigrants from Malaysia, she said so far around 8,000 Pakistanis have returned by availing the amnesty scheme.

She said the second phase of Pak-China Free Trade Agreement has started under which China will abolish duties on 313 products, mostly related to textile, seafood and meat. To a question, she said the foreign minister-level meeting of the OIC is scheduled in April and Pakistan has offered to host the session.