DNA
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan has offered Sri Lanka all out support and cooperation after the tragic attacks on Easter.
Foreign Office spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Faisal while briefing media on Thursday said President Dr. Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called their respective Sri Lankan counterparts and affirmed that the people and government of Pakistan stood in complete solidarity with their Sri Lankan brethren. He said so far Sri Lanka has not sought any help from Pakistan.
Dr. Mohammad Faisal said all Pakistanis in Sri Lanka are safe and there is no report of any fatality. He said three Pakistani women who were injured in the blasts have now recovered and discharged from hospitals.
Foreign Office spokesperson said Pakistan high commission in Colombo is constantly in touch with Pakistanis in Sri Lanka.
The Foreign Office spokesman while clarifying the statement of Prime Minister in Iran said Prime Minister Imran Khan was referring to non-state actors using Pakistani soil under foreign influence to carry out activities in Pakistan or coordinating from Pakistan and the case in point is likes of Kulbhushan Jadhav and local facilitators.
Dr. Mohammad Faisal said Prime Minister clearly stated during his Iran visit that Pakistan is attacked using soil of Afghanistan and Iran. He said Pakistan is making all out efforts for peace across the whole region.
Prime Minister’s visit was in line with government’s approach to meaningfully strengthen its relations with all neighboring countries. Dr. Mohammad Faisal said Iran gave emphatic support on the issue of Kashmir to Pakistan.
He said joint statement issued later discussed in length the issue of Kashmir, including the mention of UNSC resolutions and it is a great diplomatic achievement. He said Iran Pakistan gas pipeline project was also discussed among other projects during Prime Minister’s visit to Iran.
Both sides expressed their commitment and agreed to work closely on implementation of project.
Dr. Faisal said Prime Minister during his visit to China will not only meet Chinese leadership but an entire gamut of world leaders.
Replying to a question on Indian suspension of Kashmir border trade with India, he said trade and other confidence building measures are important between the neighboring countries and Indian decision to stop the trade is regrettable.
He said Pakistan is committed to Kartarpur Corridor and awaits the next meeting with India in this regard.
Expressing deep concern of Pakistan on plight of Kashmiris and incarceration of Hurriyet leaders, the foreign office spokesperson said intensified atrocities continue in Occupied Kashmir and in their latest acts of violence two youth were martyred by occupying forces in Bijbehara.
He said Pakistan condemns continued incarceration of Chairman JKLF Yasin Malik on trumped up charged, despite his deteriorating health.
Dr. Mohammad Faisal regretted the selective attribution of his remarks on Dr. Afia Siddiqui which were taken out of context by a section of media.
He said we are in touch with Dr. Afia Siddiqui and her family and we will continue our efforts to bring her back to Pakistan. We continue raising the issue in Islamabad as well as Washington. He said Pakistan’s Consul General in Houston regularly visits Dr. Afia Siddiqu and last such visit was held on 18th of this month.
He told a questioner that no firing range is being constructed in the US embassy in Islamabad. Islamabad Police and the US embassy are cooperating for up-gradation of Islamabad Capital Territory’s firing range facilities.
