ISLAMABAD     -   Pakistan on Thursday expressed grave concerns over the idea of Akhand Bharat (unified India) being increasingly peddled by the ruling Indian dispensation.

Speaking at her weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that a mural installed at the new parliament building in New Delhi depicts the so called ancient India including areas that now constitute parts of Pakistan and other regional countries.

“We are appalled at the statements being made by some BJP politicians including the Union Minister linking the mural with Akhand Bharat. This assertion is a manifestation of expansionist mindset that seeks to subjugate the ideology and culture not only of India’s neighbours but also its religious minorities,” she added.

The spokesperson advised the Indian politicians not to indulge in rhetoric against other countries.

She said instead of nurturing hegemonic and expansionist designs, India should resolve disputes with its neighbours for a peaceful and prosperous South Asia.

Zahra Baloch said Pakistan was deeply concerned over India’s latest move seeking death penalty for prominent Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik. She said the Kashmiri leader is being held in inhumane conditions in the notorious Ti- deteriorating health.

She said India’s latest move is another instance of political vendetta aimed at silencing the Kashmiri leadership and intimidating the Kashmiri people. She said it is a manifestation of India’s unending and pervasive oppression in IIOJK where political leaders and human rights defenders are routinely incarcerated on trumped up and baseless charges.

The spokesperson urged the Indian authorities to bring an end to this farce of a trial of Yasin Malik. She said Yasin Malik must be provided with quality health treatment and allowed to live freely among his people and family. She said India must also immediately and unconditionally release the Kashmiri leadership and human rights defenders who are being unjustly held in prisons in IIOJK and across India.

Questioned about the letter by 65 US Congressmen to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken on human rights in Pakistan after the May 9 violence, she said: “We have seen those statements. We do not agree with the characterisation that has been made on developments around May 9th and the situation in Pakistan. Pakistan is committed to human rights.”

She added: “You may have seen the National Security Committee’s statement, which has clearly spelt out the factual situation around the May 9 events. We believe that Pakistan is fully capable of dealing with all domestic challenges in accordance with our laws and our constitution. We are cognizant of our constitutional obligations to protect the rights and property of all our citizens. We are committed to ensure observance of national law, maintaining public order and respecting the Constitution, and democratic traditions and human rights principles. These constitutional guarantees and fundamental freedoms are underwritten by our judiciary.”

Asked that Pakistan had strong diplomatic ties with Georgia but Georgia had no embassy in Pakistan, she said, “The decision to open an embassy is a sovereign decision by a country. These decisions are taken in light of factors such as the quantum of bilateral exchanges and bilateral trade. Pakistan also does not have a Mission in Georgia at the present time, but Pakistan’s relationship with Georgia is solid and the ongoing visit of the Foreign Secretary to Georgia is a manifestation of the strong ties between Pakistan and Georgia and our desire to further strengthen them.”

To another question, Baloch said in the recent past Pakistan had released some Indian fishermen and civilians who had completed their sentence.

“A similar group may be released in coming days. The release of Indian fishermen and civilians demonstrates Pakistan’s consistent policy of not politicising humanitarian matters. We also hope that India would undertake similar humanitarian gestures and release Pakistani civilians and fishermen as well. With regards to the Judicial Commission that you have referred to, that Commission surely exists and the two sides have remained in contact on the mechanics of such visits which we hope will facilitate the civilians and fishermen who are held in prisons in Pakistan and India,” he added.

She said, “Pakistan’s position has been very clear on the BrahMos missile incident. We have asked India to first of all share the findings of its internal investigations of this dangerous incident that endangered the lives and that endangered peace in the region. We have also asked India to agree to a joint investigation to understand the circumstances under which this incident took place.”