News Desk |
The Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that no Indian movie would be screened in Pakistani cinemas.
Talking to media outside Parliament House on Thursday, Awan said a policy was being formulated to ban all kinds of Indian cultural content in Pakistan.
As Pakistan takes steps to downgrade diplomatic and cultural ties with India following the Indian government’s move to strip occupied Kashmir of its special autonomy, the special assistant said that Pakistan would utilize all options to extend its support to the Kashmiris in the wake of revocation of Article 370 by India.
Awan said that efforts were being made to highlight the plight of the residents of occupied Kashmir, including consultations at the United Nations by Pakistan’s envoy Dr Maleeha Lodhi, and contact with heads of governments.
The National Security Committee (NSC) decided to downgrade Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with New Delhi and suspend all bilateral trade.
While making it clear that Pakistan will not show any leniency on the issue, she said that Pakistan had presented a united stance through a unanimous parliamentary resolution condemning India’s actions in occupied Kashmir.
While demanding that the international media and other neutral platforms be provided access to observe the deteriorating situation in occupied Kashmir, she urged the Pakistani media to play its due role in highlighting the Kashmiris’ plight.
Pakistan Ready to Take Matter to UN Security Council
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has rejected India’s notion that abolishing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was its “internal matter”, adding that Pakistan would take the matter to the United Nations Security Council UNSC.
While addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the foreign minister made the announcement that Pakistan would take the matter of India revoking the special status for occupied Kashmir to the UNSC. He said that the decision was taken in line with several pre-existing UN resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.
Read more: Pakistan demands UN to dispatch fact-finding mission to IoK
On Aug 7, the National Security Committee (NSC) decided to downgrade Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with New Delhi and suspend all bilateral trade.
The top security body’s meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, had decided to review Pakistan’s bilateral arrangements with India, take the matter of revocation of Kashmir’s special status to the United Nations, observe the upcoming Independence Day on August 14 “in solidarity with brave Kashmiris and their just struggle for their right of self-determination”.
In light of India’s recent actions in occupied Kashmir, it was observed that August 15, the Indian independence day, will be observed as “Black Day”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of NSC at Prime Minister’s Office. Committee discussed situation arising out of unilateral & illegal actions by Indian govt, situation inside Indian Occupied J&K and along LOC.
The Committee decided to take following actions: pic.twitter.com/2wVySU4IxP— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 7, 2019
A day earlier, India’s Ministry of External Affairs asked Islamabad to review its decision so that “normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved”.
Foreign Office Orders Indian High Commissioner to Leave Pakistan
During his weekly briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that the government of India has been told to withdraw its high commissioner. “India has also been informed that Pakistan will not be sending its high commissioner designate to India,” he said.
Read more: Pakistan rejects India’s stance, ready to take matter to UN Security Council
“Pakistan has strongly condemned and rejected the announcements made by the Indian government regarding the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internationally recognized disputed territory,” he said.
“No unilateral step by the Indian government can change this internationally accepted disputed area as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolution nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and of Pakistan,” he added.