Weekly briefing by MoFA spokesperson full text

I wish to begin by updating you on the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The High Level Week and General Debate of the 75th Session Assembly commenced on 22 September and will continue till 29 September.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations has, for the first time convened world leaders in a virtual format.

The theme for the 75th General Debate is “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism – confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action.”

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan are participating in the Session virtually.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the 75th General Assembly on 25th September.

In his address, the Prime Minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on various regional and international issues.

He will once again raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

In his wide-ranging address, the Prime Minister will also share Pakistan’s successful handling of COVID-19, his debt relief initiative for developing countries and Islamophobia.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi addressed a high-level virtual meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.

In his statement, the Foreign Minister commended the United Nations for its numerous accomplishments over the years to advance the principles and purposes of the UN Charter.

He acknowledged, in particular, the important role played by the organization in facilitating decolonization, addressing the threats of climate change and helping to promote a vision of inclusive and sustainable development through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Foreign Minister called for the respect of the right to self-determination promised to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Palestine by the United Nations.
He reminded the world that the people of IIOJK still await fulfillment of the commitments made to them by the United Nations.

The Foreign Minister cautioned against the growing inability of the international community to join ranks in collectively addressing common challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, that has not only strengthened forces of unilateralism, fascism, xenophobia and Islamophobia, but has also given rise to fears that the multilateral order itself is under threat.

Highlighting Pakistan’s important role in maintaining international peace and security, the Foreign Minister stated that Pakistan has contributed over 200,000 troops to 47 Missions in 26 countries, losing 157 of our bravest in the process.

He recalled that Pakistan also hosted the largest protracted refugee population.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s abiding commitment to multilateralism, the Foreign Minister said that Pakistan would continue to play a leading role in advancing the mutually reinforcing goals of peace, security, development and human rights.

The Foreign Minister also participated virtually in the Informal Session of SAARC Council of Ministers on the sidelines of 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, today.

The Ministers of all SAARC Member States and the Secretary General SAARC participated.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the SAARC process, the Foreign Minister highlighted its importance in the context of regional economic and development challenges.

The Foreign Minister underscored that peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes was a pre-requisite for achieving development, economic growth, poverty alleviation and social uplift of the masses.

Coming to the situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the situation continues to deteriorate, for the past 416 days, since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019.

Extra judicial killings and demographic change in IIOJK are amongst the serious most challenges, requiring immediate attention of the world community.

In this regard, I wish to reiterate Pakistan’s call for a transparent judicial inquiry, under international scrutiny, into the extra-judicial killing of three innocent Kashmiris in IIOJK on 18 July 2020.
Three young Kashmiri boys, who had come to Shopian to work as laborers in apple orchards, were extra judicially killed by Indian occupation forces on 18 July 2020.

To cover up the “cold blooded” murder of these innocent Kashmiris, the Indian occupation army had claimed that the three were “unidentified terrorists.”

To further hide their crime, instead of handing over the human remains to the families of the victims, the Indian occupation forces had buried them in a graveyard marked for “foreign terrorists.”

Now, two months after the reprehensible incident, on 18 September 2020, the Indian occupation Army, through a statement, has admitted that the three innocent Kashmiri laborers were killed extra-judicially – a hallmark of Indian occupation forces’ state-terrorism in IIOJK.

The Indian Army’s statement is an acknowledgement that Indian occupation forces are guilty of war crimes in IIOJK.

Pakistan strongly rejects and denounces the Indian occupation army’s statement, indicating disciplinary proceedings against the officials for the crime.

India must realize that it cannot cover-up such heinous crimes of the occupation army through disciplinary proceedings.

Neither the Kashmiri people nor Pakistan or the international community will accept such farcical proceedings.

The act amounts to serious war crimes that must be thoroughly investigated through a transparent judicial inquiry, under international scrutiny.

Pakistan has been consistently sensitizing the world community about the dangers of draconian laws in IIOJK, including the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA), that provide near complete impunity to the Indian occupation forces.

The fact that even draconian powers, vested under the illegal and inhuman Acts, are being exceeded, is a reprehensible reflection of the unacceptable state of human rights in IIOJK.

We deeply appreciate the statement by the OIC- Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (OIC IPHRC), strongly condemning these extra judicial killings by the Indian occupation forces.

The Commission has called for establishment of a Commission of Inquiry under the UN to investigate these extra judicial killings and grave human rights violations.

The Commission has also urged India to repeal AFSPA and PSA and respect the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination as per the UN and OIC Resolutions

The international community must also take cognizance of the 18 July 2020 episode as well as other acts indicative of the RSS-BJP regime’s genocidal tendencies and hold it accountable for continuing crimes against the Kashmiri people.

Let me also reiterate Pakistan’s categorical rejection and condemnation of India’s continued attempts to illegally alter the demographic structure of IIOJK

Being in violation of international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention, and the UNSC Resolutions, the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate Rules 2020 is illegal and void ab-initio.

No illegal Order can provide legal cover for the demographic change in IIOJK.

Pakistan has been consistently sensitizing the world community that by changing the demographic structure of IIOJK, India is trying to undermine the exercises by the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination, through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices as per the UN Security Council Resolutions.

Therefore, Pakistan demands the Government of India to immediately rescind over 1.85 million bogus domiciles distributed to non-Kashmiris since June 2020.

The officials involved in issuance of sham domicile certificates must know that by indulging themselves in this illegal exercise, they are committing serious crimes against the Kashmiri people.

To divert attention from the domestic issues and ongoing humanitarian crisis in IIOJK, the BJP regime is continuously trying to escalate tensions along the Line of Control.

This year, India has committed 2,333 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 18 shahadats and serious injuries to 185 innocent civilians.

These egregious violations of international law and belligerent posture towards Pakistan pose a serious threat to peace and security in South Asia.

To provide first-hand knowledge of the situation on ground, today, Pakistan has once again arranged a visit of Islamabad-based Ambassadors, diplomats and Defence Attachés to the Line of Control.

Pakistan has always welcomed the UN observers, international media and foreign diplomats to the LOC.

On the contrary, despite repeated calls, India has been denying access to the international media, UN observers and humanitarian organizations to hide its false claims and worst humanitarian situation in IIOJK.

At the request of the Foreign Minister, the members of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met for an informal meeting in New York.

The Contact Group reviewed recent developments relating to Jammu and Kashmir, including the grave human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJK and escalation in tensions along the LOC.

The Contact Group called upon the UN Secretary-General, the UNSC and the UN Human Rights Council to implement the Security Council Resolutions calling for a plebiscite to enable the people of IIOJK to exercise their right to self-determination. Pakistan deeply appreciates Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for once again raising his voice in support of the rights of Kashmiri people during his address at the UN General Assembly.

President Erdogan reiterated that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is a key to the stability and peace of South Asia, is still a burning issue.

The President supported the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute through dialogue within the framework of the United Nations resolutions and in line with expectations of the Kashmiris.

Let me also update you on the “Jodhpur incident”.

Despite Pakistan’s repeated calls, the Government of India has still not shared the requisite information regarding the death of 11 Pakistani Hindu in Jodhpur, India under mysterious circumstance.

To share the anxiety of Pakistani Hindu community over the incident, Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Member National Assembly of Pakistan and Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council called on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Dr Kumar, apprised the Foreign Minister of the serious concerns of the Hindu Community over the incident as well as the safety and security of other Pakistani Hindu families visiting India.

Understanding the concerns of the Hindu community, the Foreign Minister assured Dr. Kumar of the Government of Pakistan’s full support in seeking justice for the family of the victims and the well-being of Pakistani Hindus.

We, once again, call upon the Government of India to provide the requisite information without further delay and carry out a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the matter and share its findings with Pakistan immediately.

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