ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (TNS):Pakistan on Thursday reiterated that there could be no recognition of Israel until a just settlement of Palestine dispute, rubbishing the speculations on the issue.
“Let me reiterate that there is no change in Pakistan`s principled position on the issue. The recognition of Israel is not under consideration,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a weekly press briefing.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had already made it clear that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue, satisfactory to the Palestinian people, was found, Pakistan could not recognize Israel.
He said for just and lasting peace, it was imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State.
Apprising media on the prime minister’s maiden visit to Afghanistan, he said it focused on further deepening the fraternal ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Afghan peace process, regional economic development and connectivity.
Besides holding wide-ranging talks with President Ghani, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support to a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan and called on all sides for taking necessary measures for reduction in violence.
At a virtually held 2020 Afghanistan Conference, co-hosted by Finland, Afghanistan and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the spokesperson said Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted Pakistan’s contribution to help Afghanistan attain self-reliance.
About the Country Strategy Dialogue (CSD) held by World Economic Forum on Wednesday inaugurated and participated by the prime minister with the WEF President and the chairpersons and CEOs of leading global corporations, he said the second Dialogue within a year was recognition of Pakistan’s positive economic trajectory.
He also mentioned the Inaugural Meeting of SAARC Planning Ministers hosted by Pakistan preceded by the SAARC Planning Secretaries’ Meetingas reaffirmation of Pakistan’s commitment to the SAARC process.
Spokesperson Chaudhri told media that the foreign minister was on visit to Niger to attend 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) scheduled in Niamey on 27-28 November 2020. The CFM will discuss a wide range of issues confronting the Muslim world with particular focus on combating Islamophobia and defamation of the religions; Palestine; Jammu &Kashmir dispute and the situation of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC states.
The foreign minister would highlight aggravating human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJK, rising incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech against Muslims.
Regarding the prevailing human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the inhuman military siege since last 479 days, he said the occupation forces had martyred 14 Kashmiris in staged encounters under the garb of so-called cordon and search operations.
During the last one year, Indian occupation forces have extra-judicially killed more than three hundred innocent Kashmiris, including women and children, in fake encounters in complete violation of the fundamental precepts of international humanitarian law.
Quoting a recent DW report, he said India shut down internet more than any other country.
Referring to foreign minister’s another letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council and the Secretary General he said Pakistan demanded resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute urging world community to raise its voice against genocidal violence in IIOJK.
He said Dr. Gregory Stanton, the founder-president of ‘Genocide Watch’, has also recently stated that “preparation for a genocide is definitely underway in India.”
Strongly condemning the heart-rending incident of a Muslim girl burnt alive in Bihar, India, the spokesperson said such incidents underscored the intensifying marginalization of minorities in India, especially Muslims.
Highlighting a dossier presented by Pakistan with irrefutable evidence of India’s state sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan, the spokesperson said it highlighted India’s money laundering and terrorist financing aimed at instigating direct and indirect anti-state activities inside Pakistan through sub nationalist entities including India’s attempts at trying to undermine, delay, and disrupt the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Following the presentation of dossier, he said, India had stepped up its anti-Pakistan propaganda besides attempting to implicate Pakistan in some alleged planned attack in Nagrota in IIOJK.
Responding to the “gratuitous” remarks made by the Indian External Affairs Minister on social media, he said, “Masquerading as a victim of terrorism is part of India’s desperate attempts to malign Pakistan and to divert international attention from its state-terrorism in IIOJK and its state-sponsorship of terrorism against Pakistan.
“The Indian side would be well advised to drop its act of victimhood, eschew the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy,” he remarked.
Concerning the ongoing unprovoked ceasefire violations by India, he said this year alone, India had committed more than 2840 ceasefire violations to date, martyring 27 people and injuring 245 innocent civilians.
