Islamabad: Pakistan has rejected the US State Department’s classification of Pakistan as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), a foreign office spokesperson said in a media briefing the other day.
“There are serious questions about the credibility and transparency of the process of making such classifications,” spokesperson said. “We also believe that such unilateral, arbitrary and subjective designations and reports are counterproductive and undermine the objective of advancing religious freedoms.”
Foreign office’s spokesperson said that Pakistan supports the case filed by South Africa before the International Court of Justice concerning Israel’s violations of its obligations under the 1951 Genocide Convention in relation to the Palestinian people in Gaza.
“We consider this legal action timely and an important step towards holding Israel to account for its well-documented atrocities unleashed against Palestinian people since 7 October 2023.”
“Pakistan shares the concerns raised in the application by South Africa. Israel’s ongoing military aggression and actions against the Palestinian people constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity and amount to genocidal acts.”
“We reiterate our call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire; an end to Israel’s unabated massacre of the Palestinian people; an uplifting of an inhumane siege; and expeditious delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, spokesperson said.
“Pakistan firmly believes that the only just solution to the Palestinian question is the creation of an independent, viable, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian State along the pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds-Al-Sharif as its capital.”
Spokesperson further said that fifth of January was observed as the Right to Self-Determination Day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. On this day in 1949, the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) adopted a resolution guaranteeing a free and fair plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, to enable the Kashmiri people to realize their right to self-determination.
“The right to self-determination is a fundamental tenet of international law. Every year, the UN General Assembly adopts a resolution that reaffirms the legal right of people to decide their own destiny.” “It expresses unequivocal support for the realization of the right to self-determination for peoples under foreign occupation. For over seventy years, India has denied the Kashmiri people their inalienable right to self determination.”
“We urge India to respect the rights and freedoms of the people in IIOJK so that the Kashmiri people can exercise their right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
“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, spokesperson added.
