Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
The Foreign Office on Thursday reiterated Pakistan continues efforts to reinforce our traditional partnerships with China, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and the wider Islamic world.
These relationships are based on mutual trust and friendship and characterized by a tradition of robust dialogue and exchange of bilateral visits. Pakistan and China reaffirmed commitment to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which completed ten years in 2023. Bilateral engagement and cooperation remained robust. The two countries held bilateral consultation mechanisms on consular, maritime affairs, counter-terrorism, arms control and nuclear proliferation.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at a weekly press briefing regretted the “interference” by some foreign missions in Pakistan for commenting on the Baloch protesters, saying the country was fully capable of handling its internal matters.
Foreign Office spokesperson said the Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed freedom of expression to its citizens and the laws were in place to deal with such cases internally.
The spokesperson’s statement came in response to a question over the recent tweets by Norway’s embassy and the European Union Ambassador in Pakistan who expressed “concerns” over the alleged mistreatment of the Baloch protesters in Islamabad.
“The interference of foreign embassies in Pakistan is regrettable,” she said, adding that the country was committed to protecting the rights of its people. She said the country’s courts were independent and had taken decisions in this regard on several occasions.
Asked if the coming year held any prospects of resumption of ties with India, the spokesperson said India needed to take steps to create an environment for a dialogue. She, however, categorically pointed out that the dialogue with India could only take place based on “equality, respect and with discussion on Jammu and Kashmir as the priority issue”.
On relations with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, she said Pakistan and GCC were on the verge of concluding a Free Trade Agreement soon, the first of such kind by the GCC with any country. She said negotiations in this regard were taking place, which would culminate in the signing of agreements “shortly”.
