Afghan ambassador summoned to FO: Kabul urged to handover ISIS-Khorasan leader to Pakistan

Pakistan urged Afghanistan to hand over Aslam Farooqi, a leader of the ISIS-Khorasan terrorist outfit who is currently in the custody of the Afghan government, for being involved in anti-Pakistan activities from the neighbouring country.

The demand, according to Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui, was placed before the Afghan Ambassador, Atif Mashal, who was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and conveyed Pakistan's views with regard to the arrest of ISIS-Khorasan leader, Aslam Farooqi, by the Afghan authorities on April 5, 2020.

She said that it was emphasised that Pakistan had been expressing its concerns over the activities of this group, which were clearly detrimental to Pakistan.

Pakistan's position in this regard was being regularly shared with the Government of Afghanistan and others concerned, she said.

"It was underscored to the ambassador that since Aslam Farooqi was involved in anti-Pakistan activities in Afghanistan, he should be handed over to Pakistan for further investigations," Farooqui said, adding that it was further underlined that the two sides should coordinate actions against the menace of terrorism, including through established mechanisms.

Responding to media queries during her weekly briefing, the spokesperson asserted that Pakistan had always supported a peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours.

"We believe that the signing of the US-Taliban Peace Agreement has created a historic opportunity for the people of Afghanistan. It is imperative that this historic opportunity is seized and all parties work together constructively for securing durable peace and stability in Afghanistan," she said, while commenting on the recent announcement by Taliban to stop holding talks with Afghan government on the prisoners' swap.

Responding to a query about the Sindh High Court (SHC)'s notice to the Foreign Office on the petition moved by family of Afia Siddiqui jailed in the US, she said that Pakistan's consul-general in Houston had been tasked to inquire the wellbeing of Dr Afia Siddiqui in view of the spread of the coronavirus.

She said that the consul-general had called the prison warden to inquire about the health of Dr Afia and was informed that she was doing well. "Pakistan's consulate-general will continue to get updates regarding the health of Dr Afia and would also resume regular visit to the prison as soon as the US authorities permit such visits owing to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic," she added.

About the stranded Pakistanis in various countries due to the lockdown because of the COVID-19, she said that a comprehensive phase-wise plan for repatriation of Pakistani nationals had been developed in collaboration with all stakeholders.

So far, 101 Pakistani nationals returned from the UAE; 40 from Doha, 170 from Bangkok; 194 from Istanbul, 128 from Tashkent; three from Tajikistan, and 136 from Baghdad through special flights operated by the PIA.

Plans for repatriation of our nationals from other destinations are also under active consideration, she added. To another query, she rejected the Indian claims of killing "several militants near Line of Control who were trying to enter from Azad Kashmir".

"We refute any such allegation completely. It has unfortunately become a staple for the Indian leadership and India's state controlled media to level false accusations against Pakistan to detract from India's homegrown terrorism against the innocent people of IOJ&K and to appeal to the hard-line RSS/Hindutva inspired electoral base of the present Indian government," she added.

She also expressed deep concerns over the lack of medical supplies and assistance in IOJ&K to deal with the coronavirus challenge. She pointed out that 170 coronavirus cases had been reported in the occupied territory along with the deaths of five people from the virus.

She said voices from within India and around the world continue to condemn the inhuman oppression of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. About the Israeli move not to let ventilators enter Gaza, she said that the blockade of the Gaza strip violates international law and was condemnable, adding that Pakistan called for the immediate lifting of the blockade in order for Palestine to fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"We reiterate our support for a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally-agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital," she added.

On the presidential and parliamentary elections held in Nagorno-Karabakh, occupied territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, she said that the elections held on 31 March 2020 in Nagorno-Karabakh was a clear violation of international norms.

She said that the election constituted a clear breach of international law and the UN Security Council resolutions. She said that it was taken as an attempt by Armenia to hamper the ongoing negotiation process for finding lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through peaceful means.

"Pakistan reaffirms its principled position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reiterates its support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," she added.