Pakistan ready to take all possible steps to deal with coronavirus: FO

Aisha Farooqui said that the coronavirus outbreak has spread to many countries

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui on Thursday said that the coronavirus outbreak has spread to many countries and Pakistan is keeping a close eye on the situation.

Addressing weekly press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, she said that Pakistan is ready to take all possible steps to deal with the dangerous coronavirus pandemic.

The spokesperson said that necessary steps have been taken by the federal and provincial governments at the airports and border areas to contain the virus, adding that we are also constituting a plan to see how best our diplomats abroad can be protected against the virus.

She said Pakistan has urged the international community including the UN, the OIC and the Human Rights organizations to take practical steps to stop the Indian government from pursuing discriminatory and anti-minority policies.

“The world community must ensure protection of the minorities especially the Muslims and their places of worships and properties in India,” she said.

Aisha Farooqui went on to say that the large scale targeted violence against Muslims that took place in New Delhi in the backdrop of highly communal statements by the BJP leaders has been a matter of great concern for Pakistan and it is highly condemnable.

She also condemned the desecration and vandalization of places of worships in New Delhi. She said at least fourteen mosques and one Dargah were reportedly burnt down by Hindutva vigilantes within a span of three to four days. She said these sacred places were deliberately rampaged whilst copies of holy Quran were desecrated.

Voicing concerns over the gross human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and attempts to bring about demographic change there, the spokesperson said Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute which has been reaffirmed repeatedly by the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and most recently by the OIC s special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir.

To a question about Afghanistan, the spokesperson said Pakistan has felicitated Ashraf Ghani over his election as the president of the country.

Farooqui said: “Pakistan has maintained that the US-Taliban peace agreement is a historic step towards the ultimate aim of achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan, adding that it is now a significant opportunity to move towards the next step of intra Afghan dialogue.” She said Pakistan has played its role of facilitator and it is now the responsibility of Afghans and their representatives to take the process forward and arrive at a solution for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

To a question, the spokesperson said that Pakistan has raised the issue of the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui with the US and our talks on the matter are continuing.