Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri. Courtesy Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Office spokesperson reiterates that there has been no change to Pakistan’s Kashmir policy
The Afghanistan peace process has reached a ‘critical’ stage and Pakistan hopes intra-Afghan dialogue will start soon and address remaining issues, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Thursday.
Addressing his weekly press briefing, the spokesperson said that Pakistan firmly believes in an Afghan-led Afghan-owned peace process, adding Islamabad would continue to play the role of facilitator in the peace talks.
The statement followed Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday inviting Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah to discuss ways for clearing the path to intra-Afghan dialogue. The prime minister said Pakistan looked forward to the start of intra-Afghan talks at the earliest and urged Afghan leaders to seize the historic opportunity for achieving an inclusive political settlement.
Kashmir policy
Also on Thursday, the Foreign Office spokesperson reiterated that there had been no change to Pakistan’s Kashmir policy. He said the solution to the longstanding dispute lay in granting the right of self-determination to the Kashmiri people under the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Chaudhri urged India to reverse its unilateral and illegal actions of Aug. 5, 2019, reiterating Islamabad’s demands for Delhi to lift all restrictions, release all prisoners and revoke the draconian laws. He said the domiciles issued to non-locals in the past year should also be declared null and void.
The spokesperson said New Delhi should allow unfettered access to India-held Kashmir for U.N. Military Observer Group and human rights observers and organizations, adding there cannot be durable peace and security in South Asia without resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
He warned the global community to be cognizant of the dangerous consequences that India’s belligerent rhetoric and irresponsible actions could have on peace and security in the region, and reiterated for it to use all tools at its disposal to hold India accountable for its crimes against Kashmiris.
To a question on convicted Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav, the spokesperson said Pakistan was committed to fully implementing the judgment of the International Court of Justice. He lamented that India was trying to frustrate Pakistan’s efforts, stressing that the ruling clearly stated that the review and reconsideration of Jadhav’s conviction would be as per Pakistani laws. He asked India to cooperate with Pakistani courts on the matter.