Pakistan has dismissed Indian assertion of observing Kashmir Solidarity Day as "futile quest for territorial aggrandisement" and called upon New Delhi to honour its first premier Nehru's commitment on resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
In he regular press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Alsam said that Jammu and Kashmir was an issue of right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people, enshrined in numerous UN resolutions. "India continues to usurp this right with impunity, in violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions and the UN Charter," she said.
Unlike India, she said, Pakistan's position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions and underpinned by moral and political principles. She said that Pakistan commemorated Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 every year since 1990, to express its unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Thursday, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told weekly media briefing in New Delhi that "Our view is that Pakistan's self-destructive and futile quest for territorial aggrandisement in Jammu and Kashmir is well-known to us." According to him, "the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always remain an integral part of the Indian Union. It is, therefore, high time for Pakistan to start paying attention to all the problems that afflict them rather than desire what is not theirs and never will be."
Tasnim Aslam, however, said that the reality is that it is India not Pakistan, which, with its illusions of grandeur, is obsessed with aggrandisement. "In its efforts to write a mythical history, India has forgotten the acknowledgement and commitments by its first Prime Minister on Jammu and Kashmir dispute," she added.
She made it clear that the elections in Indian Occupied Kashmir that India holds under the shadow of gun are not a substitute for exercise of the right to self determination. "This has been made amply clear by the United Nations as well. And we see that Kashmiris have, by sacrificing their youth and lives of more than 100 thousands, over the decades, have made it clear that they do not accept this forced union," she added. To a question about India's efforts to get a permanent seat in UN Security Council, she said that position on the Security Council reforms was not specifically linked to India and based on principles.
"She said the issue of Security Council Reform is of vital national importance for all the UN member states and it is in the interest of everyone that premier organ of the United Nations, responsible for maintenance of international peace and security is more democratic, effective and credible through a comprehensive reform of the Security Council," he added.
She said that Pakistan, as part of a large grouping in the UN known as Uniting for Consensus, advocates an effective and feasible reform of the Security Council based on consensus among the UN membership, reforms of its working methods, greater transparency and better representation of all members, not just creation of more power centers.
She stated that a reformed Security Council should reflect interests of the wider UN membership. "In our view, the idea of new permanent members creates new centers of power and privileges," she added.
To a question, she confirmed that Chinese Foreign Minister was likely to visit Pakistan and the exact dates would be announced once firmed up, adding the detailed agenda of the visit wais being worked out. She said that the two sides would cover the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and will discuss regional issues of common interest as per our tradition and practice.
However, she termed media reports about Chinese President's visit and his participation in Pakistan Day military parade as "speculative", saying that we have repeatedly said that the Chinese President is expected to visit Pakistan in 2015 and the exact dates of the visit are being worked out. "Once we have the confirmed dates, we will make an announcement as is the standard practice, in Islamabad and Beijing simultaneously," she added.
To another question about Afghan refugees, the spokesperson rejected reports that Pakistani security forces were harassing the refugees, saying "Afghan refugees are our brothers and sisters and we want their honourable and voluntary repatriation to their homeland."
She said that Pakistan was hosting 1.6 million Afghan refugees under a trilateral agreement signed with the Afghan government and the UNHCR for their return to their homeland by the end of this year. However, she stated that there were an estimated equal number of unregistered Afghans who have not registered as refugees. "As they are not registered as refugees, it means that they are illegal aliens in Pakistan. Their situation makes them vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists who may find hideouts in their midst," she added.
She said that Pakistan discussed these matters with the Afghan government and rejected the impression that the issue was going to create any friction with the Afghan government. "We would like to hold UNHCR to its responsibility to look after the refugees. We expect the UNHCR, along with the Afghan government, to create the conditions and the pull factor in Afghanistan for their return," she said.
Responding another query, she confirmed that an official who had already completed his term and was asked to leave Bangladesh reached Pakistan. "We have already said that in our view this is an unfortunate development," she added. About the stranded Pakistanis in Iraq, she said a group of 300 Pakistani pilgrims stranded in Iraq went to Baghdad to participate in annual Urs of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. She said they were stranded due to suspension of operation by various airlines. She said that most of these Pakistanis were passengers of Etihad Airline and its management had given an assurance that the stranded Pakistanis would be sent back to the country on priority basis.