Staff Reporter Islamabad
Pakistan has urged India to allow UN observers, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, and the international media to visit Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and independently assess the situation on ground.
Addressing the weekly news briefing in Islamabad today Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said as part of its propaganda, India recently took another selected group of New Delhi based diplomats on a guided tour to IIOJK.
He said 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.
The Spokesperson said the visit means nothing in the absence of access to all the areas and free interaction with the Kashmiri people and the civil society in an atmosphere free of intimidation.
Responding to a question about India’s barring of Sikh Yatrees aspiring to visit their religious sites in Pakistan, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said India should facilitate the Sikh Yatrees desiring to visit their religious sites in Pakistan. Referring to the initiative of opening Kartarpur Corridor by Pakistan, he said Pakistan has always welcomed and facilitated Sikh Yatrees to visit their religious places.
To another question, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the participation of 42 nations in Multinational Maritime Exercise Aman-21 reflects Pakistan s global engagement. He said this manifests Pakistan s commitment and efforts with regional as well as global peace. He said the Aman-21 exercise has exposed India s propaganda against Pakistan.
Responding to a question about Afghan peace process, the Spokesperson said Pakistan desires that the developments made so far toward durable peace in Afghanistan should be preserved and built upon. He said all the stakeholders in Afghanistan should seize the opportunity of reaching a long-lasting peace.
The Spokesperson said Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to visit Sri Lanka later this month. He said the two sides are currently working on the elements of the program keeping in view the Covid-19 health related protocols.
The Spokesperson appreciated the Non-Resident Pakistanis, for making the Pakistan Government s initiative of Roshan Digital Accounts a great success.
