Pakistan Calls for International Intervention to End Aggression in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Spokesperson of the Foreign Office said in a briefing that The Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov,visited Pakistan on 22-25 July 2024.

Foreign Minister Meredov called on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. He held extensive talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The two Foreign Ministers also co-chaired the Third Round of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Bilateral Political Consultations.

The agenda of the talks included discussions onbilateral trade, investment, energy cooperation, connectivity, and people-to-people linkages. The two sides committed to enhance high-level dialogues and exchanges.UN welcomes declaration on ending division, strengthening unity by Palestinian factions

They agreed to intensify efforts in political, economic, and defence cooperation; to foster parliamentary, cultural, and educational exchanges; and strengthen collaboration in multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Economic Cooperation Organization. Important connectivity projects including TAPI Pipeline and TAP Electricity Transmission Line were also discussed. The two sides also exchanged views on global and regional developments including the situation in Afghanistan and IIOJK.

The outgoing Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, arrived in Islamabad yesterday at the invitation of Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi for an official visit to Pakistan from 24-26 July 2024.

The Secretary General will meet with the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and the Minister of Commerce. In these meetings the Secretary General will discuss ECO’s initiatives and activities undertaken during his tenure as well as his reform agenda to revitalize the Organization.

Secretary General Noziri is on his farewell visit to Pakistan as he concludes his term next month. Starting next month, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will assume the position of the Secretary General of ECO for a three year term. His appointment was approved by the Council of Ministers and notified in May 2024.

Pakistan is hosting a two-day Regional Conference on Export Control Programme for Dual-Use Goods in Central Asia on 24-25 July 2024. The Conference has been organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the European Union (EU). Senior officials and experts from Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the US, the EU, the UN, and other international organizations are participating to discuss national approaches to strategic trade controls and promote international cooperation in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1540.

At the inaugural session yesterday, Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament while advocating for developing countries’ access to dual-use goods and technologies. The Regional Conference highlights Pakistan’s robust cooperation with regional and global stakeholders in non-proliferation efforts and demonstrates Pakistan’s commitment to the implementation of strategic trade controls in line with the objectives of UNSC Resolution – 1540.

Pakistan welcomes the ‘Declaration of Unity’ by the Palestinian political factions in Beijing. We recognize and commend China’s role in bringing the factions together for meaningful negotiations.

Unity amongst the Palestinian people is of paramount significance in view of the ongoing war crimes against the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza, and the blatant disregard for international law by the Israeli occupation forces.

Pakistan once again calls upon the international community to intervene immediately to bring an end to the ongoing illegal and incessant aggression in Gaza. We also reiterate support for the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, their right of return to Palestine and the establishment of an independent state of Palestinewith Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

The Human Rights Committee in Geneva has recently concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of India on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. During the proceedings, important questions were raised about arrests under draconian laws like Public Safety Act and Public Security Act, and frequent suspension of mobile internet service in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

 This demonstrates continuing concerns of the international human rights machinery about the dismal human rights situation in IIOJK. We call on the international community to take note of these human rights abuses by India in IIOJK and to bring an end to the suppression of the Kashmiri people.

Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.

Now a couple of announcements.

At the invitation of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will visit Tehran on 30 July 2024, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect of Iran, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian.

The visit attests to the commitment by the two countries to strengthen leadership level engagement and bilateral cooperation.

Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi will lead the Pakistan delegation at the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting, being held on 27 July 2024 in Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

At the ARF Ministerial Meeting, the Foreign Secretary will take part in discussions on political and security issues pertaining to the Asia-Pacific region to foster collective solutions through dialogue and collaboration. He will share Pakistan’s perspective on important regional and global issues. On the sidelines of the 31st ARF, the Foreign Secretary will hold bilateral meetings with the participating dignitaries.