Abdul Hadi Mayar Islamabad
Pakistan on Thursday said it ‘believes in peaceful coexistence’ and asked India to create conducive environment for peace and dialogue.
“We can only wish our eastern neighbour to take steps to create a conducive environment for advancement of peace and dialogue and resolution of long-standing disputes,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in her weekly press briefing.
Answering a question, she added, “Pakistan has always said that it desires cooperative relations with all its neighbours, including India.”
“We have consistently advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.”
However, Baloch said the political will to resolve disputes and differences through dialogue and diplomacy seemed lacking on India’s part.
“We want peace and stability in the region. Pakistan has been acting in a responsible manner, notwithstanding the difficulties in bilateral relations with India. However, it takes two to tango.”
To another question regarding desecration of Muslim shrines in India, the spokesperson said “Indian authorities must ensure the safety, security and dignity of Muslims in India, their holy sites, and places of worship.”
“For Pakistan, the issues relating to terrorism are high on the agenda of Pakistan-Afghanistan exchanges.”
She said Pakistan would continue to discuss with Afghan authorities and encourage them to take action against terror groups and entities that threaten Pakistan’s security.
“We therefore would like to see immediate, effective, and robust action against these terror groups. That these terror groups could join forces and transform into extra regional threat,” Baloch expected.
Answering a question pertaining to restrictions imposed in Afghanistan on women’s right to education, Baloch said, “the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan guarantees these rights to women of Pakistan, and we wish similar rights to women elsewhere.”
About briefing of diplomatic corps by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on situation surrounding the recent PTI protest sit-iin in Islamabad, Baloch said the main purpose of briefing the foreign envoys was to reassure them of their security, the security of the diplomatic missions and the diplomatic personnel in Islamabad.
On foreign pressure for release of journslistMatiullah Jan, she said the journalist was released as per Pakistani laws and the decisions of Pakistani courts.
The spokesperson said Pakistan remained committed to pursuing the case of Ms. AfiaSiddiqui.
The spokesperson was asked on recent attacks on Bangladeshi Missions in India. She said these were condemnable acts that should not have happened.
“Pakistan believes that under international law, it is the responsibility of the host government to provide safety and security to diplomatic missions and personnel.”
Answering a question about China and the United States imposing trade restrictions on each other, Baloch said, “we hope that as major economies, China and the United States would manage their differences and play their role for shared prosperity and development.”
She welcomed tbe previous day’s resolution of the UN General Assembly calling on Israeli occupation authorities to withdraw from Palestinian territories and for the creation of a Palestinian state.
She said Pakistan was deeply concerned at the latest developments in Syria and called for international efforts to deescalate the situation ‘and for upholding unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.’
