FO says national policy on Afghan refugees remains unchanged n India involved in terrorism n Foreign observers to be invited for elections n No change in policy on Israel n Jalil Abbas Jilani meets his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in China’s Tibet n Both FMs discuss challenges confronting regional peace.

 

ISLAMABAD  -  Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani Thursday told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi about challenges con­fronting regional peace.

The development comes after Pakistan government announce November 1 deadline for all il­legal immigrants including Af­ghan refugees to leave the coun­try or face forceful expulsion. The government took the deci­sion after rise in suicide terror attacks in Pakistan involving Af­ghan nationals. 

According to a statement re­leased by the Foreign Office on X (twitter) on Thursday, Jilani held a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fur­ther strengthen bilateral ties with Afghanistan. He also under­scored that challenges confront­ing regional peace and stability should be addressed in a “col­laborative spirit through collec­tive strategies”.

“FM @JalilJilani met Afghan Acting FM Amir Khan Muttaqi in Tibet, China. FM reaffirmed Pa­kistan’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties with Afg. Underscored that challeng­es confronting regional peace & stability be addressed in col­laborative spirit thru collective strategies,” the FO spokesperson said on Twitter. 

PAKISTAN, CHINA REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO CPEC PROJECT

Pakistan and China Thursday reaffirmed commitment to Chi­na-Pakistan Economic Corri­dor (CPEC) project. This came at a meeting between Caretak­er Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and Chinese Foreign Min­ister Wang Yi in Tibet, China. Emphasising positive trajecto­ry of bilateral ties, they pledged to enhance high level exchang­es and strategic communica­tion for continued cooperation. Meanwhile, Pakistan yesterday said the operation against ille­gal immigrants was not targeted against any nationality.

Speaking at a weekly news conference here, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan’s national policy on Afghan refugees re­mains unchanged.

“We continue to host 1.4 mil­lion Afghan refugees with ex­emplary generosity and empa­thy despite resource constraints, and economic challenges. As the situation in Afghanistan stabiliz­es, we believe that it is the right time to upscale international ef­forts to create conditions con­ducive to the voluntary repatri­ation of Afghan refugees with honour and dignity,” she added.

Baloch said Pakistan’s recent decision is not targeted against Afghan refugees. “The decision of the govern­ment of Pakistan is aimed at regulating illegal aliens re­siding in Pakistan, irrespec­tive of their nationality. And Pakistan is well within the parameters of our sovereign domestic laws to act in this context,” she elaborated.

She said the government’s policy envisages a phased and time-bound repatria­tion of all illegal foreigners residing in Pakistan. “These include cases of individuals who are overstaying their vi­sas and do not possess val­id documentation. This is not directed against any spe­cific nationality. With re­gards to the question about our engagement with the Af­ghan authorities, Pakistan re­mains in contact with Afghan authorities and will contin­ue to engage with them on all matters of bilateral inter­est, including the safe return of the refugees,” the spokes­person said. However, she said, the latest decision per­tains to illegal migrants and it does not pertain to refugees; these are two separate cases. To a question, she said Paki­stan, and Afghanistan bilat­eral trade and transit trade continue to take place. “What Pakistan has said is that we would not accept the misuse of existing trade facilities in­cluding transit trade facili­ties. Any measures taken re­cently or to be taken in the coming days will be in accor­dance with this understand­ing,” she clarified.

She said Pakistan will un­dertake the exercise to send back illegal immigrants in a phased, deliberate and order­ly manner. She said Pakistan had very clearly articulated its concerns about the threat of terrorism from the Afghan­istan soil. “This statement has been made by Pakistan on several occasions, including at international conferences and forums. At the same time, we believe in diplomacy and dialogue, and we will contin­ue to engage with Afghan au­thorities to fight this threat and to ensure that Afghan soil is not used to foment ter­rorism against Pakistan,” she underlined. She said India continues to indulge in pro­paganda against Pakistan and blames Pakistan on fictitious grounds; that is despite the fact that India itself has been engaged in terrorist activities inside Pakistan.

“As far as the security of the Pakistan cricket team is con­cerned, we have said in the past and I will reiterate that it is the responsibility of the host country to provide full se­curity and a conducive sport­ing environment to our crick­et team while they are in India for the ICC World Cup,” she fur­ther said. She said the Indian forces continue to commit se­rious human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). During the month of Septem­ber, the Indian troops killed 13 Kashmiris in extra-judicial killings and arrested 157 civil­ians and activists, she said.

“Those arrested were most­ly booked under the draconi­an laws promulgated by the occupation authorities in IIO­JK -- Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Pre­vention) Act (UAPA). Such op­pressive measures and hu­man rights violations must end and the Kashmiri leaders be set free so that the Kashmi­ri people can freely exercise their right to self-determina­tion,” the spokesperson said.

To a question, she said the meetings in Tibet, China are still ongoing and the bilater­al meetings on the sidelines of major conferences take place whenever there is a time slot available between the various sessions. To another question, Baloch said the Foreign Office had received a formal com­munication from the Election Commission of Pakistan on inviting foreign observers for the general elections.

This is not the first time that elections will be conduct­ed in Pakistan. In the past as well, Pakistan has invit­ed international observers. In accordance with the poli­cy and past practice, the Min­istry of Foreign Affairs will work closely with the Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan in facilitating the process and inviting international observ­ers for the upcoming general elections. This is a work in progress and we will contin­ue to engage with the Elec­tion Commission of Paki­stan,” she remarked.

Responding to a question, Baloch said Pakistan consid­ers Tibet Autonomous Re­gion as integral part of China.

On visa to Pakistani spec­tators for Cricket World Cup, she said, Pakistan was in contact with the Indian au­thorities on this matter. “We expect the Indian authori­ties to immediately grant vi­sas to Pakistani journalists and spectators who wish to watch the Cricket World Cup matches in India. We have said on several occasions in the past that sports should not be mixed with politics. We hope that India will ful­fil its obligations as the host of the World Cup and will not place obstacles for the partic­ipation of Pakistani journal­ists and spectators in the ICC World Cup,” the spokesper­son said.

She said Pakistan’s posi­tion and policy on the Pales­tine issue is clear and con­sistent. “We do not believe that the time has come to pronounce on any new poli­cy. Pakistan will continue to make decisions according to its own national interest. Pa­kistan’s position on the Pal­estine question is also very clear. A two-state solution is the essential for peace in the Middle East. We believe that the people of Palestine have a right to an independent state as per the UN resolutions, a state which is within the pa­rameters of pre-1967 bor­ders,” she explained.