Kashmir cause: Pakistan remains engaged with OIC at leadership level: FO

Foreign Office on Thursday neither confirmed nor denied the 'reluctance' of Saudi Arabia to call a special session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on Kashmir and asserted that Pakistan remains engaged with OIC at leadership level for discussion on several ideas on Kashmir.

Responding to media queries during her weekly briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui neither confirmed nor denied the reports that Saudi Arabia has turned down Pakistan's request for a special session of the foreign minister of the OIC member states to discus India's illegal and unilateral steps of August 5, 2019 and the prolonged inhuman lockdown of the Kashmiri people.

"OIC and Pakistan have deep engagement. Historically, OIC has been one of the strongest proponents of Kashmir cause and several OIC resolutions have been passed on different aspects of Jammu and Kashmir dispute, including human rights violations, legal aspects of the dispute and the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per the UNSC resolutions", she said.

For decades, she added that OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir has played a dynamic role in bringing this issue to the forefront at the international level. Since 5th August OIC Contact Group has played an active role, she said, adding that the OIC Contact group met at the Ministerial level on the sidelines of UNGA.

She said that the OIC IPHRC [The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission] reported extensively on the human rights situation in IoJ&K. "Pakistan remains engaged with OIC at leadership level on the Kashmir cause and several ideas are discussed regularly in this regard," she asserted.

In response to a question about Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari's speech at National Assembly on Tuesday that 'Foreign Office has narrow vision and does not have an effective policy on Kashmir', the spokesperson, without naming anybody, asserted that the observation that the Foreign Office is not taking it seriously is 'not accurate'.

"The vision of Pakistan's foreign policy is given at the leadership level by the government. The steering of this vision is carried out under the direction of the Foreign Minister by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", she said, adding: "We take the cause of Jammu and Kashmir very seriously; it is the core issue of Pakistan's foreign policy".

She pointed out that following the illegal and unilateral actions of India on 5th August 2019, the Kashmir Cell was established in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is a multi-agency unit dedicated to monitor the evolving situation in Jammu and Kashmir and to take forward the strategy articulated by the government and steered by the Foreign Minister and executed by over 100 missions of Pakistan all over the world.

"Taking forward the strategy on the Kashmir cause is not an event, it is a process," she said, adding that all aspects of Jammu and Kashmir dispute including legal, political and humanitarian are taken forward in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.

"Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have never been shy or negligent towards this core issue of our foreign policy. We are dedicated in taking it forward", she added.

About the expected agreement between Pakistan and Turkey to allow dual citizenship for citizens of the two countries, she confirmed, saying that both sides are engaged on this issue. "Details are being explored and discussed, once it is finalized, details will be shared with you", she said in response to a question.

She said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is visiting Pakistan next week, adding that the visit is taking place as per schedule agreed by both sides. "Both the sides are working very hard to finalize the substantive program of this visit," she said.

She said that Pakistan and Turkey have very warm, brotherly and cordial relations. "We stand by each other in good and in hard times. We support each other on core issues. Pakistan looks forward to the visit of the Turkish President," she added.

About US-Taliban talks, she said that Pakistan is closely following the developments regarding the US-Taliban peace talks.

"We believe that it was a good development that Taliban have showed their readiness to agree to call for reduction in violence. This is a step forward towards the peace agreement. We hope that the US-Taliban peace talks would come to its logical conclusion leading to Intra-Afghan negotiations", she said, adding that this was also the subject of Ambassador Khalilzad's recent visit to Pakistan.

Responding another query, she said that Pakistan has official taken up the matter with Afghan government regarding cancellation of an event in a local hotel in Kabul on Kashmir Solidarity Day on Afghan authorities' instructions.

"As for protests outside Pakistan Embassy in Afghanistan, we are aware of it and have taken up the issue with the Afghan authorities. Regarding the event to commemorate Kashmir Solidarity Day, the venue was changed and the matter was officially taken up with the Afghan authorities", she added.

To another question about the reports that China has demanded the US to explain 8 biohazards containers found in the backyard of the US Consulate in coronavirus hit Wuhan, she said: "I have not seen any official information on this from Chinese side as yet. I will have to check the veracity of the statement".

Giving updates on coronavirus, she said that Wuhan city remains shut for public movement and transportation. However, the Chinese government is vigilant and is providing all the necessary support and treatment not only to Pakistani students and citizens but all in Wuhan city and other parts of China.

She said that four Pakistani students were infected with the coronavirus. However, they are stable and improving and also getting best treatment possible, she added.