ISLAMABAD – Describing the reported use of chemical weapons by the Indianoccupation forces against Kashmiris in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) “afelony against humanity”, Pakistan on Thursday condemned the Indianattempts to suppress the Kashmiris.
“Indian occupation forces also reportedly used chemical weapons againstKashmiris during a recent cordon and search operation in Bandiporadistrict,” Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal said whileaddressing a weekly press briefing here at the Foreign Office.Highlighting the intensified Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris,he said the Indian occupation forces in the last two weeks, on the pretextof the increasingly frequent cordon and search operations, killed 18Kashmiris in Srinagar, Kulgam, Bandipore, Kupwara, Sopore and Budgam areasof the IOK.
“The recent pictures and videos on social media of the Indian brutalities,unleashed on innocent Kashmiris continues to be a stark reminder of thereal brutal and inhuman face of India and its occupation forces in theIOK,” he added.
The spokesman said, “Pakistan condemns the Indian attempts to suppress theKashmiris in the IOK, including establishment of Indian occupation forcecamps in populated areas and continuing gross human rights violations,including destruction of property, harassment of inmates and the continuingdaily violent operations in Pulwama, Shopian, Islamabad, Kulgam, Kupwara,Bandipore, Baramulla and Srinagar districts of IOK.”
He said Pakistan was also concerned at the deteriorating health of seniorHurriyet leaders including Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Masarat Alam Bhatt, SyedaAasiya Andrabi, Nahida Nasreen, Fahmida Sofi, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, MohammadAiyaz Akbar, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Peer Saifullah, Mehrajudin Kalwal, FarooqAhmad Dar, Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, Maulana Sarjan Barkati, ShabbirAhmad Dar, Mushtaq-ul-Islam and hundreds of Hurriyet leaders and activistslanguishing in the notorious Indian Tihar Jail in New Delhi and other jailsand interrogation centers in IOK.“We urge the international community, especially the champions of humanrights, to urge India to immediately halt the human rights atrocities inIOK.”
To a question about Pak-India dialogue, the Foreign Minister said, “Wecannot force any country to negotiate.”He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written the first letter,to which Prime Minister Imran Khan had responded. Later, India first agreedand in less than twenty four hours, withdrew its agreement, he added.
“The only way forward, that is known to Pakistan, is through dialogue,which should be uniterrupted and uniterruptible,” he added.Regarding a question about Kartarpur Corridor, the Foreign Office Spokesmanviewed that dialogue was the vital element for resolving all suchissues. “In the absence of any dialogue, nothing can move forward,” headded.
The Spokesman said Pakistan did receive a letter from Sikh InternationalOrganization, “But as I said earlier, in the absence of any dialogue ornegotiations, no matter can be resolved.”“We have formally announced that we are ready for a dialogue with India tosettle all our disputes, but as you know it takes two hands to clap,” heremarked.
Read Top Stories
In response to a question about a recent statement of Indian Army Chiefthat there can be a military based action in Pakistan, the Spokesman said,“…. In the modern, interconnected world of today confrontation and conflictare not options and we believe the only forward is through cooperation notconfrontation.”
“Pakistan stands by its consistent principled position of peacefulresolution of all issues, including the J&K dispute. It is up to India torespond,” he added.To a question, the Spokesman said, “We are fully prepared to defend thecase of Commander Kalbhushan Jadav in the Internatinal Court of Justice,next year.”
About Pak-US relations vis a vis the visit of Foreign Minister Shah MahmoodQureshis visit to US, the Spokesman said.”The relations are moving in apositive direction. Both the Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of Statemet twice in a month which indicates that the things are moving in theright direction.”He also shared with media some highlights of FM Qureshi’s visit to theUnited States including his address to UN General Assembly and his meetingswith counterparts from different countries.
The Spokesman told the briefing that Pakistan had been elected for atwo-year term for the period 2018-22, to the Board of Governors of theInternational Atomic Energy Agency at the 62nd Session of the Agency’sGeneral Conference in Vienna.
To another query the Spokesman said Pakistan fully supported the policy ofnegotiations with Taliban, adding, “It is a shared responsibility to bringthe Taliban to the negotiating table and no single country can be expectedto undertake this task unilaterally.”
“Pakistan remains open to working with all partners to create an enablingenvironment for initiating peace talks,” he added.
