The Foreign Office on Friday denied reports of any dialogue between Pakistan and India to achieve the resumption of bilateral trade.
In a weekly press briefing, spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch recalled that bilateral trade was suspended over India’s illegal and unilateral steps in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2019. She noted that on Aug. 5, 2019, India had revoked Article 370 of its constitution, ending the special status accorded to the disputed region. “This situation remains intact,” she said, adding the main intent behind observing Aug. 5 annually was to expose Indian atrocities and show solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir.
Condemning the killing of four Kashmiri youth by Indian occupation forces in Doda district, she said the brutal act was yet another example of India’s illegal and oppressive steps against the Kashmiri people. She urged the global community to take immediate and decisive action to hold India accountable for its egregious human rights violations in IIOJK and to protect the rights and freedoms of Kashmiri people.
Afghanistan
To a question on unrest at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the spokesperson called on the interim Afghan government to exercise restraint and avoid unprovoked acts along the border.
Earlier this week, the security forces of the neighboring countries exchanged heavy fire after Pakistan objected to the construction of a checkpost near the border by Afghans. Subsequently, the border was closed for all types of movement. “First, I would not like to go into history of such border violations from the Afghan side,” said Baloch. “However, as you know, the recent incident was very unfortunate when on the 12th of August, Afghan forces opened indiscriminate fire at the Torkham border,” she said, stressing Pakistani forces had responded appropriately in self-defense.
“We urge the Afghan authorities to exercise restraint and avoid unprovoked acts against Pakistan-Afghanistan border. They must understand that Pakistani forces will always defend their territory,” she said, adding Islamabad was ready to resolve any misunderstandings through established diplomatic channels.
“I would also like to underline that the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan is multifaceted, and it encompasses various aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. This is a historic relationship, so seeing this relationship from a narrow prism would not be advisable,” she said.
The spokesperson also recalled that Pakistan has consistently raised its concerns about the presence of terrorist hideouts and sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, and expects Afghan authorities to take effective and robust action against such groups.
During her briefing, the spokesperson also strongly rejected allegations about Pakistan’s role in the ouster of Sheikh Hasina Wajid, reiterating there was absolutely no truth in them.
Commenting on the Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha, Baloch welcomed ongoing diplomatic effort and recalled that Islamabad had repeatedly called for an urgent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. Denouncing the storming of Al-Aqsa mosque by hundreds of extremist settlers led by office bearers of Israeli occupation authorities, she said this desecration of one of Islam’s holiest sites and obstruction of the rights of worshippers had deeply hurt the sentiments of Muslims worldwide. This act is a violation of the Geneva Convention and blatant disregard of multiple UNSC resolutions, she added.