MoFA spokesperson Opening Statement for Press Briefing to be held on 15th October 2020 Full text

Assalaam-o-Alaikum and Welcome to Weekly Press Briefing at the Foreign Office,

I wish to begin with Pakistan`s reelection to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) with an overwhelming majority.

In a secret ballot, held on 13 October 2020, Pakistan secured 169 votes in the 193-member UN General Assembly.

Among the five candidates from the Asia-Pacific region, contesting against four seats, Pakistan secured the highest number of votes.

With its re-election, Pakistan will continue to serve as a member of the HRC for another three-year term commencing on 1 January 2021.

Pakistan’s re-election is a recognition by the international community of our contribution to the national and global human rights agenda and strong credentials as a consensus builder in the Council.

Pakistan remains firmly committed to upholding, promoting and safeguarding human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.

The Human Rights Council has been a prominent forum for discussing the gross and systematic human rights abuses being perpetrated in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The human rights violations committed by the Indian occupation forces in IIOJK have been extensively documented in the various reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the independent Special Procedure Mandate Holders.

Pakistan will remain actively engaged with the Council as well as its related processes to continue highlighting the plight of the Kashmiris and other oppressed people all over the world.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.

Both leaders discussed bilateral matters and international issues of mutual interest, including the adverse economic impact of COVID-19 on the developing countries.

While expressing satisfaction at the level of bilateral relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Imran Khan underscored the need to further enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields.
The Prime Minister stated that with improved on-ground situation, cricket between the two sides could also be resumed as COVID-19 situation improves.

In the regional context, the Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process and stressed that peace in Afghanistan was of paramount importance for the region and Pakistan.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison noted Pakistan’s positive role in the Afghan peace process.

Pakistan extends warm felicitations to the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on his historic win in the Presidential elections.

Pakistan and Tajikistan are partners in regional peace, prosperity and connectivity.

We look forward to working closely with the Government of Tajikistan under President Rahmon in further cementing our brotherly ties.

Pakistan is closely monitoring the developments in Nagorno Karabagh region.

The recent reports of shelling on civilian centers inside mainland Azerbaijan including the cities of Ganja, Tartar and Barda are extremely disturbing.

Pakistan expresses its condolences to the government and the people of Azerbaijan and calls upon Armenia to desist from attacking the innocent civilians in violation of the international humanitarian law.
We reaffirm our support to the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan in their legitimate struggle to defend their homeland.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi participated in a virtual Ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), hosted by the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan.

In his statement, the Foreign Minister underscored that the COVID-19 pandemic revalidated the importance of NAM’s founding principles rooted in solidarity, international cooperation and respect for multilateralism.

The Foreign Minister called for strict adherence to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and addressing the existing and emerging challenges to peace and security.

He particularly emphasized the need to address the root causes of conflicts such as foreign occupation and suppression of fundamental rights.

The Foreign Minister reiterated deep concern at continued denial of the Kashmiris’ inalienable right to self-determination, guaranteed to them under several UN Security Council resolutions.

The Foreign Minister noted the inextricable link between peace and development, which necessitated concerted action to help developing countries in the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to NAM and its founding principles.

The Foreign Minister attended the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) held virtually.

The meeting focused on major global challenges, including approaches to the global Covid-19 recovery plan, climate change and social tensions as well as racial discourse.

The Foreign Minister commended Commonwealth’s ‘No More’ Campaign and welcomed Commonwealth’s Statement on Racism.

Expressing concerns over rise in intolerance, violence, xenophobia and Islamophobia, the Foreign Minister remarked that a state in South Asia was targeting specific religious and ethnic groups in order to foment hatred among communities.

The fifth round of Pakistan-UK Bilateral Consultations on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament was held virtually on 13 October 2020.

Both sides discussed issues of Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in a cordial and constructive environment.

Issues related to global and regional security and stability were also discussed.

We extend our warmest felicitations to Pakistan Army team on winning the International Pace Sticking Competition at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK.

Pakistan team won the competition for the third consecutive year.

By maintaining and displaying the highest standards of discipline, professionalism and excellence, our Armed forces continue to make the nation proud.
Coming to the situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the situation continues to deteriorate further for 437 days since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019.

In brazen manifestation of state terrorism, Indian occupation forces have martyred more than three hundred innocent Kashmiris in last one year.

More than 600 Kashmiri youth were subjected to custodial torture, while 134 were seriously injured with pellets from 1st January till 30th September 2020.

During the same period, the Indian Occupation forces also arrested 2,635 civilians and destroyed 910 houses and structures to inflict collective punishment and render the Kashmiris economically and socially more vulnerable.

In their latest act of state terrorism, the Indian occupation forces martyred six more Kashmiri youth in so called “cordon-and- search” operations in Srinagar, Kulgam and Pulwama areas of the IIOJK.

Pakistan strongly condemns unabated Indian state-terrorism and extra-judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris.

India must realise that use of brutal force against the Kashmiri people, including extra-judicial killings, custodial torture and deaths, forced disappearances, incarceration of Kashmiri leadership and youth, use of pellet guns, destruction of houses to inflict ‘collective punishment’ on the Kashmiri communities, and other methods of subjugation have failed in the past and will not succeed in the future.

The indigenous resistance movement of the Kashmiris for their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, will only become stronger in the face of Indian state-terrorism.

Pakistan calls upon the international community, including the United Nations, human rights organizations and the global media, to take immediate cognizance of the aggravating situation in IIOJK.

India must be held accountable for egregious human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied territory.

Pakistan also urges the world community to work for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC Resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people for durable peace and stability of the region.

In attempts to divert world attention, India continues to escalate tensions along the Line of Control.

The recent unprovoked ceasefire violations by India on 14 October have resulted in serious injuries to two innocent civilians.

This year, India has committed 2,530 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 19 shahadats and serious injuries to 197 innocent civilians.

Let me also respond to another irresponsible statement by the senior Indian leadership, as part of BJP’s belligerent rhetoric against Pakistan.

In his recent remarks, Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, has insinuated that Pakistan and China are deliberately creating border disputes with India.

Pakistan strongly rejects and condemns such irresponsible and unwarranted statements by senior Indian leadership.

The Indian Defence Minister’s statement demonstrates an inexcusable lack of self-awareness of RSS-BJP regime’s self-serving narrative.

It is also another manifestation of the Indian government’s incurable obsession with Pakistan.

Pakistan also condemns the malicious Indian propaganda against the longstanding, close Pakistan-China friendship.

It is preposterous for a country that is compulsively expansionist and a brazen practitioner of state-terrorism, to level charges against others.

The world community is aware that the political opportunism of the RSS-BJP regime is imperiling peace, stability and security of the region.

Rather than jeopardizing peace and stability of the region, including by perpetrating state-terrorism as a tool to advance its extremist (Hindutva) ideology and expansionist (Akhand Bharat) designs, India should seriously consider course correction by giving up its aggressive agenda and peacefully resolving disputes with neighbours.

With this, I thank you and am happy to take questions on these or other foreign policy related developments.