ISLAMABAD – Pakistan hopes that US-Taliban peace talks would come tological conclusion leading to intra-Afghan negotiations.
Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui at a weekly briefing inIslamabad on Thursday said this was also the subject of US SpecialRepresentative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad during hisrecent visit to Pakistan.
She said Pakistan is closely following the developments regarding peacetalks between the two parties and believes it is a good improvement thatTaliban have shown willingness on talks and called for reduction inviolence.
Replying to a question, the foreign office spokesperson said we are awareof protests held outside Pakistan embassy in Kabul and the matter has beenraised with Afghan authorities.
She said the venue for observing the function on Kashmir Solidarity Day atPakistan embassy was changed and the concern has been taken up officiallywith the Afghan government.
Aisha Farooqui said ceremonies were held at Pakistan’s embassies and highcommissions across the globe to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day in a befittingmanner aimed at giving message to the world that Pakistan stands by itsKashmiri brethren in their just struggle for right to self-determination.
These ceremonies were attended by local parliamentarians, intellectuals,leaders of public opinion, civil society activists and people from variousstrata of life from the host countries, besides Pakistani expatriates.
Foreign Office spokesperson said this is an ongoing engagement with thelocal host government officials and it will continue.
Aisha Farooqui told a questioner that Organization of Islamic Cooperationhas been one of the strongest proponents of Kashmir cause and several OICresolutions have been passed on different aspects of Jammu and Kashmirdispute, including human rights violations taking place there, the legalangle and as well as the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue in accordancewith the UN Security Council resolutions.
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OIC held ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assemblysession in September last year and the independent report issued by itcondemned the human rights abuses in the held Kashmir.
On the upcoming visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan toIslamabad, the Foreign Office spokesperson said the modalities of the visitare being discussed. It is a scheduled visit of fixed duration.
She said Pakistan and Turkey enjoy warm and cordial relations and bothstand by each other in times of need.
She said Pakistan and Turkey support each other on core issues and willwork together to solidify the existing ties.
Aisha Farooqui said so far only four Pakistani students have been affectedby coronavirus in China and their condition is reported to be stable.
Chinese government is very active and providing all out support to foreignnationals in their country.
