Kashmiris facing acute shortage of food, lifesaving drugs: FO

The spokesperson said the matter has been discussed at the highest level.

ISLAMABAD (Werb Desk) – Pakistan has emphatically stated that resolution of Kashmir dispute as per UN Security Council resolutions is cornerstone of its foreign policy. At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said it is the success of our foreign policy that the UN Security Council discussed the situation in occupied Kashmir at length after a gap of fifty years. He said this matter is not closed but is on the agenda of the Security Council and further developments are expected on it. The spokesperson said the visit of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to Geneva to attend the meeting of UN Human Rights council is on the cards. He said our special envoy Tehmina Janjua is already in Geneva for an extensive outreach with OIC and other countries. Voicing concerns over prevailing situation in occupied Kashmir, Dr Muhammad Faisal said 5th August’s unilateral steps taken by the Indian government are not tenable and the resolution of this festering dispute lies only in UN Security Council. The spokesperson said India should stop misleading the international community and accept the ground realities and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir instead of continuing with its policy of obduracy. Drawing attention towards the prevailing situation in occupied Kashmir, the spokesperson said occupied Kashmir is under siege and cut off from the rest of the world. He said Indian forces continue to impose an unprecedented military lockdown and total clampdown which risks lives of the people. The residents are facing acute shortage of food and lifesaving drugs, he added. The spokesperson said Indian authorities have converted the occupied Kashmir especially Srinagar into a military garrison by deploying Indian troops in every nook and corner to prevent people from staging demonstrations against the Indian illegal steps. He said people have repeatedly been flouting the curfew and other restrictions and staging protests to show their resentment against the Indian occupation and its nefarious move. He said Pakistan impresses upon the international community to take cognizance of blatant human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. When asked about the airspace closure with India, the spokesperson said the matter has been discussed at the highest level and we can exercise this option at the time of our choosing. Responding to a question, the foreign office spokesperson said a technical meeting on Kartarpur corridor is being held tomorrow at zero point. He said Pakistan remains committed to completely inaugurate the corridor as per the announcement made by the Prime Minister. To a question about Afghan peace process, Dr Muhammad Faisal said Pakistan has been making sincere efforts to facilitate the process. He said the next round of talks between Afghan Taliban and the US has started. He said the peace agreement between the two sides is in its final phase and we are hopeful to see its early positive conclusion leading to peace and security in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan will continue to work to help take peace efforts in Afghanistan to its logical conclusion.