ISLAMABAD(National Times)- The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that India had \u201cneither the standing nor the moral authority\u201d to comment on the elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which are being held in phases amid security concerns and unrest in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the remarks while addressing a weekly press briefing, where he was asked about the Indian External Affairs Ministry\u2019s (MEA) \u201creaction\u201d to the ongoing polls. While the question did not elaborate further, the Indian ministry had termed the polls a \u201cfarce\u201d on Tuesday, saying that such \u201chollow exercises\u201d could not hide the reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPakistan categorically rejects the baseless and politically motivated remarks of the Indian MEA regarding the ongoing legislative elections in the AJK,\u201d Andrabi said on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is unsurprising that India has chosen to issue such remarks on the eve of the 7th anniversary of its illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, through which it seeks to alter the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir,\u201d he said, adding that actions violated the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, international law, and India\u2019s international commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrabi held that elections in AJK were being conducted in a \u201cpeaceful, transparent and orderly manner\u201d in accordance with the constitutional and legal framework governing the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that the ongoing elections reflected \u201cdemocratic aspirations and political will of the people of AJK\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrabi maintained that India, in view of its continued denial of fundamental political rights and democratic freedom in occupied Kashmir, \u201chas neither the standing nor the moral authority to comment on the democratic process in AJK\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that misinformation and propaganda could not change the status of occupied Kashmir, which remained a disputed territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIts final disposition is to be determined in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions as well as the freely expressed will of the Kashmiri people and through a UN-administered plebiscite,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also held that India\u2019s \u201cattempt to invoke misleading casualty figures\u201d cannot obscure its own actions in occupied Kashmir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrabi said such statements were an attempt to deflect international attention away from India\u2019s \u201ccontinued violation of international human rights and humanitarian law and its persistent failure to fulfil international obligations\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this, he called on the neighbouring India to reverse its illegal actions of August 5, 2019 and \u201ccreate an environment conducive to peaceful settlement in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The FO spokesperson was also asked about the Indian ministry\u2019s response to comments made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the occasion of Youm-i-Istehsal wherein it had condemned Pakistan\u2019s \u201cdesperate peddling of falsehoods\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He held that the Indian MEA statement was a \u201cself-serving eulogy\u201d for its actions in the occupied Kashmir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe reality is that a prolonged and heavy military presence, coupled with draconian laws, continues to facilitate demographic change aimed at altering the territory\u2019s Muslim majority character.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The FO spokesperson also took note of India\u2019s \u201csystemic efforts\u201d suppressing the voices of Kashmiri people and that its \u201cso-called development\u201d in the occupied territory was not a substitute for the rights of the Kashmiri people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe remain unwavering in our support for the just [..] and call upon India to reverse its illegal and unilateral measures and its human rights violations and engage in the peaceful resolution of Jammu and Kashmir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pakistan continues engagement on US-Iran
Speaking about Pakistan\u2019s diplomatic efforts to mediate between the US and Iran, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan remained engaged to resolve the crisis, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He vowed that Pakistan would continue to \u201cactively pursue diplomatic engagements and support all sincere efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the conflict\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrabi also hoped that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz would lead to the resumption of talks between the US and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), AFP reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe hope that the agreement on the Strait will pave the way for continuing dialogue, particularly the resumption of technical-level talks between Iran and the US,\u201d the foreign ministry spokesman told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrabi also lauded Oman for its \u201cvaluable and steadfast\u201d efforts towards de-escalation, particularly as a littoral state to the State of Hormuz.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that India had \u201cneither the standing nor the moral authority\u201d to comment on the elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which are being held in phases amid security concerns and unrest in the region. FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the remarks while addressing a weekly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n