ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has announced that the Prime Minister will pay an official visit to China from May 23 to 26, where he will hold important meetings with the Chinese leadership.
According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan is continuing active diplomacy to reduce tensions in the Middle East, while its position on the Indus Waters Treaty, occupied Kashmir, Pak-Afghan relations, and regional security has also been reiterated.
Bilateral relations, economic cooperation, regional situation, and other issues of mutual interest will be discussed in these meetings.
The spokesperson said that 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China have been completed, and China has supported Pakistan at every difficult stage. According to him, Pakistan and China have also taken a similar position on the issue of Gulf tensions.
Middle East Situation
Tahir Andrabi said that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continued this week. In this regard, telephonic contacts were made with several world leaders, while the Deputy Prime Minister spoke with the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Uzbekistan.
He said that there was also a telephonic contact between the Prime Minister and the Emir of Qatar, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi made two important visits to Iran this week and held detailed meetings with the Iranian leadership.
According to the spokesperson, the Pakistani leadership is in touch with Iranian President Masoud Pazishkian and other senior officials, which is part of the routine diplomatic consultations with neighboring countries.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said that Pakistan is playing a facilitating role in the peace process between the United States and Iran, however, they are unaware of any demand from the United States to use Pakistani airspace for a possible attack on Iran and no such demand has been received.
He strongly condemned the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, saying that Pakistan supports every measure for security and stability in the region. He said that nuclear installations should not be targeted under any circumstances.
IIOJ&K
Commenting on the situation in occupied Kashmir, the spokesperson termed the ‘impunity-free massacre’ of Kashmiris as unjust and said that Pakistan demands the release of all Kashmiri political leaders, social activists and human rights defenders imprisoned in occupied Kashmir. He said that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is a long-standing unresolved dispute on the agenda of the United Nations.
Tahir Andrabi also termed the demolition of houses in occupied Kashmir as worrying and said that these measures are part of illegal efforts to change the population ratio in the region.
Global Samood Flotilla
Referring to the Israeli operation on the Global Samood flotilla, the spokesperson said that this development has been observed and the social leader Saeed Edhi, who was on the flotilla, has returned safely.
Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, the Foreign Office welcomed the decision of the Court of Arbitration and said that this decision clarifies the limits of India’s water control over the western rivers. The spokesperson said that Pakistan considers this decision as final and binding on the parties to the Indus Waters Treaty.
He clarified that there is no clause for unilateral withdrawal from the Indus Waters Treaty, and the legal procedure for resolving any dispute is part of the treaty, under which Pakistan has approached the International Court of Arbitration. He said that Pakistan will not compromise even a drop of its water and all legal means will be taken for this purpose.
Pak-Afghan Relations
Regarding Pak-Afghan relations, the spokesperson said that the main reason for the current tension is the actions of terrorist groups against Pakistan from Afghan soil. He said that according to international laws and the Doha Agreement, it is the responsibility of the Afghan government not to allow its territory to be used for terrorism against Pakistan.
Terming the news regarding the expulsion of Pakistanis from the UAE as baseless, Tahir Andrabi said that the deportation of about 3,000 Pakistanis took place in different legal and administrative contexts, and the difference in figures on this issue is being exaggerated.
The spokesperson also dismissed claims about the presence of alleged ‘Pakistani fans’ in India, likening them to old and stereotypical allegations like ‘pigeon espionage’.
