News Desk |
Pakistan has reiterated its support for the Kashmir liberation cause and dismissed Indian objections to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s telephone call to All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement on Thursday, 31st January.
On Tuesday, 29th January, FM Qureshi had briefed the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the efforts of Pakistan’s government to highlight the human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq had appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan government and emphasized that the Indian atrocities shall never be able to suppress the will of the people.
In response, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua summoned India’s high commissioner to the Foreign Office on Thursday to lodge a protest over the summoning of Pakistan’s high commissioner to Delhi on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, 30th January, India’s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale summoned Pakistan’s High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood to register to protest against Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi calling Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Gokhale reportedly told the Pakistan envoy that Qureshi calling Farooq had confirmed that Islamabad ‘encourages individuals associated with terrorism’.
“Foreign Secretary underscored that Pakistan has confirmed that it abets and encourages individuals associated with terrorism and anti-India activities. It exposed Pakistan’s duplicity in professing their desire for normal relations with India, while openly inciting anti-India activities,” ANI quoted Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement as saying.
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“The Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood was categorically informed by the Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale that the government of India expects Pakistan to desist forthwith from such actions. He was cautioned that persistence of such behavior by Pakistan will have implications,” it further said
In response, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua summoned India’s high commissioner to the Foreign Office on Thursday to lodge a protest over the summoning of Pakistan’s high commissioner to Delhi on Wednesday.
The Foreign Office also clarified that the leadership in Pakistan has always been communicating with Kashmiri leadership and this is not anything new.
In a statement, the Foreign Office reaffirmed that Kashmir is an outstanding dispute between India and Pakistan and acknowledged as such through UN Security Council resolutions as well as numerous Pakistan-India documents, including Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration.
The Foreign Office also categorically rejected any implication that seeks to portray the legitimate struggle of Kashmiri people for self-determination as terrorism. It said Pakistan is committed to extending its political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Foreign Office also clarified that the leadership in Pakistan has always been communicating with Kashmiri leadership and this is not anything new.