Assalaam-o-Alaikum and Welcome to Weekly Press Briefing of the Foreign Office
Let me begin with the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Niamey, Niger on 27-28 November 2020.
During the two-day session, the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers discussed a wide range of issues confronting the Muslim world with particular focus on combating Islamophobia, Palestine and the Jammu & Kashmir dispute.
The Council of Foreign Ministers unanimously adopted a Resolution on Jammu and Kashmir reaffirming the OIC’s consistent and principled stance on the dispute.
Through the comprehensive and strongly worded Resolution, the OIC:
• Rejected the illegal and unilateral actions by India on August 5, 2019 and demanded that India rescind its illegal steps;
• Deplored the state-sponsored terrorism and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces against the people of IIOJK;
• Denounced the renewed use of pellet guns by Indian occupation forces against innocent civilians;
• Urged India to adhere to its international human rights obligations and allow the OIC Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir and the OIC fact-finding mission to visit IIOJK;
• Strongly urged India to implement recommendations of the two Reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Jammu & Kashmir;
• Urged international community to review their engagements with India, the occupying power, as it is violating and disregarding international law and international resolutions;
• Emphasized that the question of Jammu and Kashmir is of utmost importance for the Muslim Ummah;
• Reaffirmed that the final disposition of the State of Jammu & Kashmir will be in accordance with the will of the people, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite, conducted under the auspices of the United Nations;
The Niamey Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of the CFM, also explicitly reiterated “the OIC’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”
Inclusion of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in the Niamey Declaration – being an important part of the CFM’s outcome documents – is yet another manifestation of OIC’s consistent support to the Kashmir Cause.
The Council of Foreign Ministers also unanimously adopted the Pakistan-sponsored resolution regarding Islamophobia.
The Resolution expresses deep concern at the recent incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran and reprinting of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), which hurt sentiments of more than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.
The Resolution decides to designate 15th March as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” each year.
Pakistan also welcomes adoption of other resolutions by the CFM, including Resolution on Destruction of the Babri Masjid in India and Protection of Islamic Holy Places; Resolution on Safeguarding the Rights of Muslim Communities and Minorities in non-OIC States; and Resolution on Maintenance and Promotion of Regional Peace and Security in South Asia.
At the 47th Session of the CFM it was also decided that Pakistan will host the 48th Session of CFM in 2021.
As the prospective CFM Chair, Pakistan stands ready to constructively engage with the entire OIC membership to promote unity, peace and prosperity among the Muslim Ummah.
Unnerved by its continuing international condemnation, India has barefacedly raised objection on the OIC Resolution on Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan strongly rejects the Indian Ministry of External Affairs statement in this regard as untenable and uncalled-for.
The OIC Resolution is yet another forceful repudiation of India’s completely flimsy and legally flawed contention that Jammu and Kashmir is its ‘internal’ matter.
The Resolution is further proof that India can neither hide its gross and systemic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people nor can it escape international censure of its egregious behavior.
Rather than dismissing the international community’s concerns as reflected in the OIC Resolution, India would be well-advised to stop its state-terrorism in IIOJK and take concrete steps towards resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
As part of our regular high-level engagement with China, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Defence, General Wei Fenghe, accompanied by a high level delegation, paid a three day official visit to Pakistan.
The visit was aimed at further solidifying and expanding Pakistan-China cooperation, particularly in the fields of defense and security.
During the visit, General Wei called on the Prime Minister and the President and held meetings with the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chief of Army Staff.
Welcoming the Defence Minister’s visit to Pakistan, the Prime Minister stressed that the two countries were bound by ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ based on mutual trust, understanding and commonality of views.
The Prime Minister deeply appreciated China’s principled support on Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019.
General Wei Fenghe underlined that Pakistan was China’s close friend, good neighbor and ‘iron brother’.
Underscoring the depth and breadth of China-Pakistan ties, he conveyed Chinese leadership’s firm commitment to further strengthening China-Pakistan ties in a host of areas.
General Wei underlined that the South Asia and Arabian Sea Region needed peace, stability and economic development and appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in advancing those goals.
During his meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, matters of mutual interest, regional security and enhanced bilateral defence collaboration were discussed.
General Wei acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army’s sincere efforts for regional peace and provision of secure environment for CPEC projects.
An MoU for enhancement of defence cooperation between both the Armies was also signed.
Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Andleeb Abbas, represented Pakistan at the 19th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO-CHG), held virtually.
Highlighting the importance of SCO for Pakistan in achieving regional peace and stability, and development of closer ties with regional partners, the Parliamentary Secretary underscored the imperative of creating a safe and secure neighborhood.
Pakistan condemns the assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in Tehran.
We extend sincere condolences to the family members of Mr. Fakhrizadeh and to the Iranian people.
Pakistan strongly urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation of tensions in the region.
Pakistan welcomes the announcement regarding the agreement reached on rules and procedures by the Afghan parties in Doha. This is another significant step forward.
The agreement reflects a common resolve of the parties to secure a negotiated settlement.
It is an important development contributing towards a successful outcome of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.
Pakistan will continue to support Intra-Afghan Negotiations, culminating in an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political solution paving the way for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.
At the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has joined the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as a founding member.
DCO would offer a platform to promote the global digital agenda in the scientific, health, educational, commercial, social, agricultural, investment and security spheres.
Coming to the situation in IIOJK, the Kashmiris are continuously subjected to a brutal military siege and inhuman restrictions for an unprecedented 486 days since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019.
In further acts of unabated state terrorism, the Indian occupation forces martyred 15 more Kashmiris, in “fake encounters” and staged “cordon-and-search” operations during the month of November.
During the same period, 97 Kashmiri youth were critically injured due to the use of brute force, while 31 innocent Kashmiris were arbitrarily detained, and many houses were destroyed to inflict collective punishment on the Kashmiri communities.
The cold-blooded murders and brutalization of innocent Kashmiris are a clear manifestation of the state terrorism to which unarmed Kashmiris have been subjected to for the past seven decades.
We continue to call upon the international community, including the United Nations, the human rights organizations and the global media to take cognizance of brutal suppression of the Kashmiri people’s rights and freedoms in utter violation of international laws and conventions.
The world community must use all tools at its disposal to hold India accountable for its serious crimes against the Kashmiri people.
Let me also draw attention to the despicable spike in Indian propaganda against Pakistan following the presentation of incontrovertible evidence by Pakistan of India’s active planning, promoting, aiding, abetting, financing and execution of terrorist activities in Pakistan.
We wish to reiterate our call to the international community, particularly the United Nations counter-terrorism mechanisms to act on the Pakistani Dossier providing irrefutable evidence of Indian state sponsorship of terrorism.
I thank you for your attention and am happy to take questions on these or other foreign policy related developments.
