ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday gave a shut-up call to India over possible misadventure in Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan warning of a “full spectrum” response.
Speaking at a weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said any misadventure by India in AJK or GB will invite a full “spectrum response” by the country’s armed forces.
The spokesperson said the Indian leadership must not underestimate the resolve of Pakistani nation as well as the capacity, professionalism and the level of preparedness of Pakistan’s battle hardened Armed Forces.
He said the entire nation stood absolutely united against any ill designs by India.
“Our advice to India would be to peacefully resolve disputes with the neighbours, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, for lasting peace in South Asia,” he said. To a question, the spokesperson said: “We have seen the malicious and fabricated news reports and propaganda campaign in some sections of the Indian mainstream and social media, planting baseless stories about Pakistan.”
He said such attempts by the Indian media on the behest of the Pakistan-obsessed BJP-RSS regime were reflective of a particular, though familiar, mindset.
The spokesperson said India cannot wash away the truth about its own gross and systematic human rights violations in the Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and unabated anti-minorities policies and actions through peddling fake news and running its propaganda machinery overtime.
The spokesperson said over 800 million people in India were considered as poor, making the largest poor population anywhere in the world. He said India needed to focus on socio-economic development of its people instead of blindly pursuing its dangerous strategic ambitions.
He mentioned that oppression and communications blockade in IIOJK had entered the 444th day since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019 with 18 innocent Kashmiris martyred in the month of October alone and 60 youth arrested on frivolous charges.
He termed the illegal Indian actions a clear violation of the ‘UN basic principles on use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials’ and the ‘UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials’.
The spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to highlight the grim human rights situation in IIOJK at all relevant international forums, including the United Nations, and the human rights and humanitarian organizations.
He hoped the Financial Action Task Force would also consider the reports about 44 Indian banks involved in money-laundering and terror-financing during the country’s upcoming Mutual Evaluation Review in February.
On the case status of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the spokesperson said Pakistan’s courts would decide over the matter in compliance with the verdict of International Court of Justice to hold a “review and reconsideration” of the death sentence of the Indian serving navy commander.
About the United States sanctions against Iran, he said Pakistan intended to enhance trade and political relations with Iran as the two countries had close cooperation based on shared history.
On Afghan leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar paying a visit to Pakistan soon after Dr Abdullah Abdullah’s visit, he said: “These visits were part of engagements with all stakeholders and Pakistan’s contribution to the peace process.”
He said Pakistan favoured a broad-based and comprehensive peace process and believed inclusion of all parties to attain sustainable peace in its neighbouring country and the region.
Chauhdri ruled out the notion that a few Muslim countries were pressurizing Pakistan to recognize Israel. “Pakistan is a sovereign state to have its own decisions and there was no change in policy on Israel”.
Asked about the postponed visit of Bosnian President, he said, new dates would be announced after the programme is finalized.
