Islamabad - Pakistan yesterday restated that Kashmir issue should be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. “Kashmir Solidarity Day being observed on Friday necessitates that the dispute should be resolved at the earliest,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah during his weekly news briefing. “India continues to violate human rights in Held Kashmir and brutalize Kashmiris there. Pakistan has always condemned these atrocities and gross human rights violations by Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir,” he added.
To a question, Qazi Khalilullah said no date had yet been fixed for foreign secretaries-level talks between Pakistan and India.

The spokesperson, however, said both sides were in touch with each other in this regard. Answering a question, he said, “We respect the view of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee that the demolition of Babri Masjid was shameful episode on the part of India.” Replying to a question, the spokesperson reconfirmed that the quadrilateral meeting involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and US will be held as per schedule on February 6 in Islamabad.

To another question, he said Pakistan and Afghanistan were in touch at various levels with regard to use of Afghanistan soil by certain elements in the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda. He said dossiers of India’s involvement in fomenting terrorism in Pakistan have already been shared with UN and US leadership. The Foreign Office spokesperson said action had been taken against all terrorists without any discrimination in the operation Zarb-e-Azb. He said successes in operation had been recognised world over.

Answering a question, he said Pakistan had always desired to maintain positive relationship with Bangladesh. Khalilullah said, “Our high commissioner in Dhaka was called in by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 2 for discussion on various issues.”  The high commissioner raised the issue of a Pakistani official who was illegally detained by the authorities in Bangladesh.  “Pakistan extends all due courtesies and privileges to the members of the diplomatic community stationed in Pakistan and expects Bangladesh to do the same,” he added.

PAKISTAN NOT TO WAVER ON KASHMIR: MAMNOON

President Mamnoon Hussain yesterday said that Pakistan would never waver from its principled stance on Kashmir. He was talking to a delegation of All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Islamabad on Thursday. The President said that Kashmir issue can only be resolved by holding plebiscite in accordance with the United Nations Resolutions.

Mamnoon Hussain said that Pakistan will continue its political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for freedom. 
He said that any change of government in Pakistan will not alter Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir and it will continue its support for the attainment of the right of self-determination by the people of Kashmir.

Hurriyat leaders expressed gratitude for sincere and emphatic support of the government and the people of Pakistan on Kashmir issue. The Hurriyat leaders praised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for raising the Kashmir issue at the United Nations and for taking up the matter in his meetings with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and US President Barack Obama.