Daily Times

Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada on Monday said his country fully supports Pakistan’s stance on Indian-held Kashmir, and that the issue must be resolved as per United Nations Security Council resolutions.

A seminar titled ‘Together for Peace and Humanity, End to Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide’ was jointly organized by the Department of International Relations of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) and Embassy of Azerbaijan. Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed was the chief guest while Ali Alizada, the ambassador of Azerbaijan, Sakib Foric, the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ambassadors and high commissioners of various Central Asian States, Middle East and Africa, Director General NUML Brig Muhammad Ibrahim, former president Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Anwar Khan, deans, directors, heads of departments and students also attended the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali Alizada said “Kashmir is close to our hearts and minds.” He said his country is concerned about the human rights violations by the Indian army in the occupied valley. He said his own country is facing the same situation as Armenia has continued to illegally occupy around 20 per cent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory including the region of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts. He said that in February 1992, the whole Azerbaijan watched in horror as their TV screens showed the aftermath of a brutal killing, with dead children, women and elderly people, mutilated bodies, frozen corpses scattered on the ground. “This shocking footage was taken at the site of the Khojaly massacre, which is the worst war crime in the Nagorno-Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and one of the worst in modern European history. At least 613 Azerbaijani civilians, including over 200 women and children, were ruthlessly killed,” he said, and thanked Pakistan for support on the issue. He also applauded the role of Pakistan Army in war against terrorism.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said Pakistan always stands with the oppressed. He said Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Armenia just because of genocide they committed in Nagorno-Karabakh and to support brotherly country Azerbaijan. “In Africa, where Pakistan doesn’t have any interest, we support Morroco on a principled stand … and in Palestine, Pakistan stands firm against the oppressor, Israel,” he said.

Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sakib Foric also addressed and highlighted his country’s war time era. He praised Pakistan for its support to Bosnia on international fronts.

NUML Director General Brig Muhammad Ibrahim thanked all the participants and presented shields to all the dignitaries.