Blacklisting Rao Anwar: FO expresses surprise over US decision

Foreign Office on Thursday expressed surprise over the US designation of former senior superintendent of police (SSP) Malir, Rao Anwar, saying the Treasury Department failed to hold anyone responsible for the most egregious, extensively reported, and independently verified human rights abuses in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

"Rao Anwar Khan is already under trial for crimes he has allegedly committed. The matter is sub judice," Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said while responding to media queries during his weekly briefing.

He continued by saying, "Given the scope of the Global Magnitsky Act, we are surprised that the Treasury Department failed to hold anyone responsible for the most egregious, extensively reported, and independently verified human rights abuses being committed in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir by Indian occupation forces."

On December 10, 2019, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it has taken action against 18 individuals located in Burma, Pakistan, Libya, Slovakia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan for their roles in serious human rights abuse.

"During his tenure as the Senior Superintendent of Police in District Malir, Pakistan, Rao Anwar Khan (Anwar) was reportedly responsible for staging numerous fake police encounters in which individuals were killed by police, and was involved in over 190 police encounters that resulted in the deaths of over 400 people, including the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsood," Treasury Department said while designating Anwar.

Responding to the US Senator Lindsey Graham's statement that the US should start negotiating with Pakistan instead of getting as much 'leverage' on the Taliban as possible, Dr Faisal said that Lindsey Graham is an advocate of deepening and broadening of relations between Pakistan and United States, adding that the senator has always been a strong supporter of stabilization in Afghanistan.

He declined to respond to certain American officials from Bush and Obama administrations who have reported alleged that 'Pakistan has been playing a double game with the US since 2002 and it was a critical error to consider Pakistan a friend.'

"I will not comment on media reports. Our policy regarding Afghanistan is clear and the Prime Minister has reiterated it several times, that there can only be a political solution to the Afghan conflict. It is heartening to note that all the global powers are now coming to this conclusion as well," he added.

Welcoming the resumption of the US-Taliban peace talks, the spokesperson warned that at this critical time, it is important to remain watchful of the role of 'spoilers' who do not wish to see an end to the Afghan conflict.

"We have always held that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. We hope that the peace process is concluded soon and it leads to an intra-Afghan dialogue and reduction of violence," he said, adding that Pakistan will continue to support all peaceful efforts in this regard, as it has done in the past.

Condemning the assassination of Dr Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese doctor in Afghanistan, he said that at this critical juncture, it can only be the work of 'spoilers' who do not wish to see a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.

He said that Dr Tetsu Nakamura was a towering figure in Afghanistan, who changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghans. "His work has been recognized internationally. We condemn in strongest terms the assassination and share the grief and pain of the Afghan and Japanese people in this tragic incident," he said.

He pointed out that Dr Nakamura had started as a volunteer worker in Peshawar and after two years he moved to Afghanistan rendering his services for the needy in various parts of Eastern Afghanistan.

About holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad, he insisted that the Summit will be held in Islamabad. He said that expect one country, all the other member countries have their desire and high hope regarding the holding of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad. "India is still an obstacle," he added.

About Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's visit to Saudi Arabia, he said that the visit to Kingdom was scheduled and focused on bilateral matters and regional developments.

He said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have brotherly relationship rooted in history and based on mutual trust and understanding. "High-level political exchanges between the two countries are the hallmark of this brotherly bilateral relationship", he said, adding that there have been high frequency of leadership level exchanges, especially since last August.

About Prime Minister Imran Khan's expected visit to Saudi Arabia next month, he said that the Prime Minister has undertaken at least three visits to KSA since May this year. "Any further information about any future visit will be shared accordingly," he added.

To a query about Prime Minister's shuttle diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and Iran, he said: "We continue to make sincere efforts."

Referring to the situations in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said that the humanitarian nightmare in IOJ&K has been worsening with continued military lockdown and complete communication blackout for 132nd consecutive day, which is affecting life and property of millions of innocent Kashmiris.

To another question, he said that the foreign minister boycotted the Indian Minister's speech at the Heart of Asia in Turkey recently because of the prevailing humanitarian crisis in the Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir. "Definitely, we will continue with such appropriate steps, as per requirement," he added.