ISLAMABAD:Pakistan on Thursday warned that any Indian misadventure of surgical strikes could endanger regional peace and stability.
Referring to Indian Army Chief’s statement on surgical strikes, Foreign Office spokesperson, Nafees Zakaria during the weekly press briefing said that such irresponsible statements can cause uncomfortable environment, not only for Pakistan but also for the regional countries.
“Pakistan urges the international community to take notice of such absurd lies and false claims on India’s behalf,” he added.
“In 2016, the then Director General ISPR Lt General Asim Salim Bajwa also described the Indian claim of surgical strike as totally baseless. To prove, he took national and international media representatives on the area where India had claimed to have surgical strikes done”, he said.
He said Prime Minister Sahid Khaqan Abbasi in his speech during UNGA also reaffirmed that Pakistan was firmly resolved to protect its dignity and honour and can strongly react to any external and internal threat.
The Spokesperson informed that Pakistan’s delegation, headed by the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary, concluded its visit early this week after attending the 72nd UNGA and other activities.
“The visit was a success, Prime Minister’s address to the UNGA, meetings and other activities of the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary on the sidelines afforded opportunity to present Pakistan’s perspective on the prevailing security situation in the region, opportunities and challenges in the wake of the evolving regional scenario, developments and achievements of Pakistan on the economic and security fronts”, he added.
He said that the opportunity was also availed to forcefully highlight the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, grave human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir at the hands of Indian occupation forces and state’s involvement in terrorism, terror financing and use of Afghan soil to launch terrorist attacks with the help of TTP, JuA and other terrorist outfits based in Afghanistan.
Replying to a question, he said India is trying to hide behind the non-issue and creating havoc over the picture presented by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative in UN Maliha Lodhi, but fact of the matter is India can’t deny killing of civilians in IOK, injuring of thousands of Kahsmiris in pallets attacks and forced disappearing.
“New York Times in its report, last year, stated “2016 will almost certainly be remembered as the year of dead eyes”, he said.
Replying to another question he said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Afghanistan, both the countries need to move forward in terms of regional business and defense cooperation.
“Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Afghanistan and meeting between the official of the two countries on the sidelines of UNGA session speaks volumes of Pakistan’s interest in Afghan Issue,” he added.
He said the sideline meetings were also instrumental in dispelling impressions created with regard to Pakistan-US relations and Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, bridging gaps, and reaffirmation of similarity of views on the situation in this region.
Replying to another question regarding India’s role in Afghanistan and military expansion he said that India is using the Afghan soil to carry out terrorist activities inside Pakistan, it is sponsoring terrorist organizations that remains no secret now.
He said human rights situation in Indian occupied Kashmir is constantly deteriorating. During the last five days, 7 more innocent Kashmiris have been martyred and scores have been injured. 700 have been booked under the lawless law PSA since July 2016.
“Illegal detention of Kashmiri leaders was inhuman and life threatening conditions continue in violation of all the relevant International Conventions on Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws”, he added.
He said the Prime Minister of Pakistan also submitted a comprehensive dossier on HR Violations in IoK to the UN Secretary General during his visit to 72nd UNGA Session.
Replying to question he said that Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and Thailand is a great initiative and Malaysia has announced E-Visa for 10 countries which also include Pakistan. “It will bring down the procedural delays for Pakistani citizens seeking visa form Malaysian government”, he concluded.
