ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Friday made it clear that it firmly stood by its historic position on the Kashmir issue and there was not even a modicum of change in it.“I would stress that no change in our policy can be brought about in this regard. The Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the cornerstone of the foreign policy of Pakistan,” said the Foreign Office spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal during a weekly press briefing here.In this regard, he pointed out the extreme steps that India was taking to try to muffle the voice of Kashmiris and to illegally claim the IOJ&K.“The Indian attempts to change the status of IOJ&K will fail miserably, as they have failed in the past. There can be no resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute without taking into account the wishes of Kashmiri people in line with the UNSC resolutions,” he said.He pointed to over 8 million people in the IOJ&K who remain cut off from the world, with continued concerns being raised about lack of medical supplies and other basic needs.These inhuman and unilateral actions by India are continuing, despite widespread international condemnations.“The Indian government should immediately restore the internet and mobile phone services, release all prisoners, especially civil society members and the abducted young children, remove the Public Safety Act and other draconian laws, and allow the independent media and international human rights observers to visit the region to independently observe the situation of Kashmiri people,” he added. Faisal urged the international community, the United Nations and other human rights organisations to take notice of brutal suppression of religious rights and freedom of people in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) in utter violation of international laws and conventions. “The humanitarian nightmare in the IOJ&K is worsening with continued military lockdown and complete communication blackout for the 126th consecutive day. The Indian government cannot suppress the aspirations of the people of IOJ&K for exercising the right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Security Council Resolutions,” he said. Pakistan continues to internationally highlight the dire situation in the IOJ&K and the plight of Kashmiri people in the face of inhuman lockdown since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5August 2019.He said the struggle for Jammu and Kashmir was a continuous process and not an event.“Many initiatives and steps are in the offing and I will continue to update you, in due course, accordingly,” said the spokesman.To a question about the convicted Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav, he said the step made in that regard will be made public soon.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Switzerland and Malaysia this month where he is first scheduled to reconvene the first-ever Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in December in Geneva, which is being organized in recognition of Pakistan’s generosity, hospitality and compassion in hosting the Afghan refugees for over 40 years.No other country in the world has hosted such massive numbers of refugees at one time running into millions.“The Global Refugee Forum – the first major meeting on refugees of the 21st century – will be jointly hosted by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the Government of Switzerland on 17 and 18 December 2019.Several other heads of state are expected to join the prime minister as co-conveners.Further details will be shared in due course,” spokesman for the Foreign Office Dr. Muhammad Faisal announced during a weekly media briefing here.Later on December 18-20 on the invitation of Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister Imran Khan will be participating in the KL Summit due to take place in Kuala Lumpur.“The KL Summit is an initiative of Malaysian Prime Minister together with the participation of leaders, scholars and intellectuals. It is a platform to exchange views on the current challenges and to work together to address them,” said the spokesman.The KL Summit would provide Pakistan with the opportunity to exchange views and find solution to the challenges facing the Muslim world particularly governance, development, terrorism and Islamophobia.The summit will also provide us with an opportunity to foster cooperation in diverse areas with the participating countries.
12-07-2019, 10:22 AM
No change in Pak policy on IOJ
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