India a constant threat to regional peace: FO

Two important Pak-US dialogues next week.

ISLAMABAD    -   Pakistan said yesterday that India was a constant threat to regional peace due to its aggressive policies.

Speaking at a weekly news brief­ing here, Foreign Office spokesper­son Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the statement of the so-called Governor of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir was yet another man­ifestation of the Indian leaders’ ag­gressive designs, which remain a constant threat to regional peace and stability.

She categorically said that the so-called Governor has made baseless claims which can neither change the facts of history nor the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir that remains internationally rec­ognized disputed territory. “Jam­mu and Kashmir as never been, nor will ever be India’s integral part,” she added.

Baloch said rather than resorting to false and misleading assertions, India must vacate its illegal occupa­tion of the disputed territory, and let the Kashmiris exercise their in­alienable right to self-determina­tion through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices.

The spokesperson said Indian leaders must not indulge in politi­cal rhetoric against other countries. 

Baloch said Pakistan wants peace in South Asia and desires good re­lations with all its neighbours, in­cluding India. 

She urged India to take necessary steps to create enabling environ­ment for peace in South Asia and re­solve all outstanding issues, includ­ing the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in peaceful manner.

Next week, she said, two import­ant dialogues including the Energy Security Dialogue and the Climate and Environment Working Group Meeting will be held between Paki­stan and the United States.

Baloch said that the Pakistan-US Energy Security Dialogue will take place on March 15, 2023.

The US Department of State’s Bu­reau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffery Pyatt will lead the US delegation. The Secretary Power and Secretary Petroleum will lead from the Pakistan side.

The spokesperson said the dis­cussions will be held on energy pri­orities, advancing the renewable energy transition, and economic and commercial opportunities in the energy sector.

She said the Climate and Environ­ment Working Group meeting will be held on March 16. The US De­partment of State’s Oceans and In­ternational Environment and Scien­tific Affairs (OEC) Monica Madina Assistant Secretary will lead the US delegation.

The two sides will discuss Paki­stan’s climate priorities and energy transition, water management, cli­mate smart agriculture, biodiversi­ty and protected national areas, air quality, and solid waste manage­ment.

This will be the second round for the Energy Security Dialogue and the Climate and Environment Working Group. The first rounds were held virtually in September 2021.

Baloch further said in the com­ing days, bilateral dialogues will be held with Countries in East Asia in­cluding Australia, China, Japan, and Malaysia.

Likewise, next week Pakistan and Australia will hold the 8th Session of Senior Officials Talks (SOTs) and the Trade Talks on March 16, 2023 in Islamabad, she said.

The two sides will review the bi­lateral relations and multilateral cooperation including matters re­lating to political, economic trade and investment, defence and secu­rity, educational and technical co­operation and people-to-people contacts, she added.

In the trade talks, the two sides will discuss bilateral trade and in­vestment cooperation between Pa­kistan and Australia, the spokes­person said.