ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Thursday said it always desired cooperative relations with all its neighbours, including India, and wished its eastern neighbour would take steps to create a conducive environment for advancement of peace and dialogue and resolution of long-standing disputes.
The issue was raised at the weekly media briefing at the Foreign Office where the spokeswoman was asked to comment on the remarks made by the former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar that the PPP supported normalisation of ties with India, including trade.
“We have consistently advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. However, the political will to resolve disputes and differences through dialogue and diplomacy seem lacking on India’s part.
“Pakistan has been acting in a responsible manner, notwithstanding the difficulties in bilateral relations with India. However, it takes two to tango,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan voiced support for those Afghan women who have been banned by the Interim Afghan government from attending nursing and midwifery institutes, saying these women have an inherent right to education according to Islam. The UN mission to Afghanistan too urged the Taliban government to reconsider the recent ban to restrict women’s education. The spokeswoman responded, “We believe that every man and woman have the inherent right to education in accordance with the injunctions of Islam. We believe Islam grants equal access and right to women. Islam is an egalitarian religion that guarantees women the right to education and to inherit and own property. The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan guarantees these rights to women of Pakistan, and we wish similar rights to women elsewhere”.
To a query she did not take sides between the United States and China, as both countries announced trade restrictions on each other, but rather advised cooperation over confrontation and hoped that as major economies, both would manage their differences and play their role for shared prosperity and development.
When asked about the number of countries that had retired army personnel working as ambassadors and the relations of those countries with Pakistan, she replied that she did not have a list of all ambassadors of Pakistan abroad. When asked specifically several times about the appointment of Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Amir’s appointment to Qatar and the reason why after being nominated for the UAE, he was later nominated for Qatar, and what was his present status, the spokeswoman was reluctant to comment. She said: “These are routine appointments by the Government of Pakistan.”
She was asked to comment whether she agreed to a statement of the US State Department spokesman who, while commenting on the arrest of senior journalist Matiullah Jan, had said that no journalist should face harassment, threats abuse or arrest just for doing their job. “It is our understanding that Mr. Matiullah Jan has been released as per Pakistani laws and the decisions of Pakistani courts. This shows the vibrancy of Pakistan’s judicial system and Pakistani laws. We are confident that the state of Pakistan, the Pakistani nation, can resolve any domestic issues that arise from time to time,” she replied.
Commenting on ties with Bangladesh and the recent increase in trade, the spokeswoman said one should not read too much into regular commercial exchanges between Pakistan and countries in the region. “We wish to enhance economic and commercial exchanges and connectivity with Bangladesh. So, we will continue to engage with Bangladesh and other countries in the region to promote economic cooperation and bilateral trade,” she said.
She added that Pakistan was aware of attacks on the Bangladeshi Missions in India in recent days. “These are 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. It is therefore important that the Indian authorities ensure the safety and security of Bangladeshi diplomats and missions,” she said. Pakistan has welcomed the resolution of the UN General Assembly calling on Israeli occupation authorities to withdraw from Palestinian territories and for the creation of a Palestinian state. “The genocide in Gaza must end. Civilians in Gaza are being indiscriminately killed including at food distribution points, hospitals and refugee shelters. This humanitarian situation needs urgent international attention,” said the spokeswoman. She pointed out that Pakistan was deeply concerned over the latest developments in Syria. “We believe that the ongoing situation will further destabilize the region and embolden terrorist organizations. It is critical to promote peace and security in Syria for regional stability. We call for international efforts to deescalate the situation and for upholding unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria,” she said.
