F.P. Report
ISLAMABAB: India has arranged an other group of New Delhi based diplomats on a guided tour to IIOJK and the people of IIOJK greeted the envoys with spontaneous and voluntary strike, which evidently expressed the true feelings of the Kashmiri people against the illegal Indian occupation.
It was underscored by Foreign Office Spokesperson Mr. Zahid Hafeez Choudhry during weekly press briefing in Islamabad today. He said that the choreographers of last such visit to IIOJK had come under sharp international criticism for presenting retired soldiers as apple growers to the visiting envoys.
While commenting on Indian deceiving efforts to divert international community, he said that Pakistan believes that such guided tours are a smokescreen, aimed at diverting international attention from India’s egregious human rights violations in IIOJK and creating a false impression of ‘normalcy’. He demanded that India must allow the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Observers, the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), the international human rights and civil society organizations to visit IIOJK and assess the situation on ground.
While answering a query on Sikh Yatris visit to Pakistan and obstruction being offered by the Indian government, Choudhry responded that Pakistan provides maximum facilitation to the Sikh Yatris from all over the world, including India, for visiting their religious sites in Pakistan. Pakistan had opened the largest and the holiest Sikh shrine in Kartarpur Sahib to facilitate Sikh Yatris. He said that we believe that India should also facilitate Sikh Yatris for visiting their religious sites in Pakistan. While answering a question regarding the Exercise AMAN-21, he noted that it was an another manifestation of Pakistan’s global engagement and abiding commitment and contribution to the promotion of international peace and security, contrary to the Indian propaganda, Pakistan enjoys friendly and cooperative relations with the comity of nations.
While highlighting Pakistan efforts on Kashmir issue, Mr. Chaudhry said that as a part of Pakistan’s regular diplomatic outreach to the international community, Foreign Secretary imparted the latest developments relating to IIOJK and the region to the head of foreign missions based in Islamabad during last week.
While answering a question regarding Pakistan participation in an Indian led workshop on coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Hafeez said that the workshop on “Exchange of Good Practices in tackling COVID Pandemic and the Way Forward” is being organized for SAARC member countries plus Mauritius and Seychelles in a virtual format today. He said that In line with its policy of enhanced regional and international cooperation in dealing with the pandemic, SAPM on Health and Secretary Health will participate in the workshop.
