Transcript of the Press Briefing by the Mumtaz Zahra Spokesperson ministry of foreign affairs.
Islamabad, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is in Kazakhstan for the twin Summits of SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) and SCO Plus from 03-04 July 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan. He is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and other senior members of the Cabinet and senior government officials.
At the SCO Council of Heads of Summit Meeting today, the Prime Minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on important regional and global issues and underline the importance that Pakistan accords to regional connectivity and cooperation with SCO member countries.
The Prime Minister will also address the SCO Plus Summit today that brings together SCO member States and invited Dialogue Partners, Observer States, Guests of the Chair and international organizations. He will share Pakistan’s perspective on important regional and global issues stressing the need for multilateralism and upholding universally recognized principles of international law.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif participated in the first Pakistan-Azerbaijan-Türkiye Trilateral Summit on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, along with President Ilham Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye. The three leaders reaffirmed commitment to elevating tripartite cooperation, focusing on areas including trade, energy, tourism, culture, education, technology, healthcare, and environmental cooperation. The Summit follows trilateral consultations at the level of Foreign Ministers, Speakers of Parliaments, and Defence personnel.
The year 2024 is an important milestone for Pakistan-SCO relations, as Pakistan holds the rotating Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), which is SCO’s second-highest decision-making forum. In this capacity, Pakistan will be hosting the SCO Heads of Governments Meeting in October this year. The October summit will be preceded by a Ministerial meeting and several rounds of Senior Officials meetings, focusing on the financial, economic, socio-cultural and humanitarian cooperation among the SCO member states.
Prior to his visit to Kazakhstan, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif undertook an official visit to Tajikistan on 2-3 July 2024 at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.
In Dushanbe, the Prime Minister held meetings with the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon; the Chairman of Majlisi namoyandagon, Zokirzoda Mahmadtoir Zoir; and Prime Minister, Qohir Rasulzoda. The meetings focused on strengthening multifaceted cooperation between the two countries including on regional and global issues of mutual concern. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation in diverse areas and signed nine agreements including cooperation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs and in the fields of aviation, education, industry, science, sports, tourism, and trade.
The two sides also signed the Pakistan-Tajikistan Strategic Partnership Agreement. The Strategic Partnership will be based on five pillars of bilateral cooperation: political, trade and investment, energy and connectivity, security and defence, and people-to-people contacts. It will include structured high-level dialogue at the leadership and Foreign Ministers’ level.
On 01 July 2024, Pakistan and India exchanged lists of prisoners in each other’s custody in pursuance of the Consular Access Agreement of 2008.
Pakistan handed over a list of 254 Indian or believed-to-be-Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistani jails. India shared a list of 452 Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani civilian prisoners and fishermen in Indian jails. A list of 38 missing Pakistani defence personnel, believed to be in India’s custody since the wars of 1965 and 1971, was also handed over by Pakistan.
Pakistan is committed to addressing these humanitarian matters as a matter of priority. Last year, Pakistan released 485 Indian nationals including 06 civil prisoners and 479 fishermen. We will also continue endeavours to ensure the early return of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails. As part of these efforts, the repatriation of 62 Pakistani prisoners in 2023, and 04 in 2024, have taken place.
Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, Ambassador Asif Ali Khan Durrani, led the Pakistani delegation at the Doha-III meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan, held under the UN auspices in Doha from 30 June to 2 July 2024.
Ambassador Durrani presented Pakistan’s perspective on the current situation in Afghanistan. He underscored Pakistan’s support for Afghanistan to alleviate its economic situation and highlighted the threat posed by TTP-led terrorist activities originating from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.
A bilateral meeting between Pakistan and the Afghan Interim Government was held on 1 July 2024. The two sides exchanged views on key issues of mutual concern, including peace and security. The Pakistani side underscored the need for enhanced efforts to strengthen regional stability and Pakistan’s commitment towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Ambassador Durrani also underscored Pakistan’s concerns about terrorist sanctuaries and support networks for terror groups inside Afghanistan.
On the sidelines, Pakistan engaged fruitfully with the delegations of the US, China, Qatar, Russia, Uzbekistan, the EU, the UK, Norway, and the Netherlands. The Pakistan delegation also attended the quadrilateral meeting between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Qatar. The meeting discussed areas of mutual concern and cooperation and reviewed the trans-Afghan railway project connecting Pakistan with Uzbekistan via Afghanistan.
The Sixth Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Pakistan and Belarus was held in Islamabad on 2 July 2024. Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe), Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, led the Pakistani side, while the Belarusian side was headed by the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Lukashevich.
Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless assertions made about Pakistan in the recent report on religious freedom released by the U.S. Department of State.
As a matter of principle, Pakistan opposes such unilateral reports that make observations on the internal affairs of sovereign states.
We believe that International Religious Freedom cannot be viewed from the lens of any single country’s social and legal perspective.
Unilateral reports assessing other countries’ human rights situations are not free from political bias and present an incomplete and distorted picture. The methodology adopted in preparing these reports and the mandate and expertise of its authors are not transparent.
It is unfortunate that the report refers to certain incidents in Pakistan last year without highlighting the strong political will shown by the Government of Pakistan to hold the perpetrators accountable as well as the remedial efforts undertaken and the legal and administrative protections in place for religious minorities.
We strongly believe that each State itself has the primary responsibility to promote and protect the religious rights and freedoms of its nationals. Pakistani citizens are entitled to the freedom of religion and belief under the law and as enshrined in Pakistan’s constitution. These rights and constitutional guarantees are protected, upheld and reinforced by an independent judiciary. Such unilateral reports therefore do not contribute to the promotion of human rights.
The Government of Pakistan has announced to allow medical students from Gaza to complete their medical education in Pakistan.
The decision was made on the directions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar by the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC). This would enable Gaza students to continue their medical education in Pakistan on humanitarian grounds.
Palestinian Students from Gaza in batches of 20-30 will soon join medical colleges in Pakistan.
The decision will enable Gaza students to complete their medical education in Pakistan in the fields of cardiology, orthopaedics, oncology, paediatrics and surgery to address the critical needs in Gaza’s health care system.
The Indian authorities’ campaign to crush dissent in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remains relentless.
A prominent Kashmiri lawyer and former President of the High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom has recently been arrested on fabricated charges. He suffers from multiple chronic ailments and old age. His arrest is a clear act of political vendetta. We urge the Indian authorities to release Mian Abdul Qayoom and thousands of other Kashmiri political prisoners, dissenters and human rights defenders.
Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.
Question and Answers
(Naveed Siddiqui, Daily Dateline): Ma’am, in your opening statement you mentioned Gaza. Will only the students of Gaza be invited for medical education? How many of them? Will they be provided free education here? How many medical colleges? Need details please. My second question is that Pakistan’s Ambassador Masood Khan held a meeting with the US authorities and sought assistance for military equipment and modern technology believed to be used in operation Azm-e-Istehkaam.
Spokesperson: Regarding the first question, as I underlined in my opening remarks, the decision has been taken by the committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council will invite the students of Gaza in batches of 20 to 30 in various fields of medicine for education inside Pakistan. Now that this decision has recently been taken, the modalities and details are being worked out. Once we have further details, we will share with the media and this pertains to students from Gaza. The second question was about a meeting between the Ambassador of Pakistan and the US authorities. I would like to underline that Pakistani Ambassador in Washington meets with US authorities on regular basis and discusses areas of mutual interest and cooperation, that includes issues relating to security, defence, counter-terrorism, as well as trade, climate change, science and technology and education. So, there is nothing unique about a meeting that our Ambassador held with the US authorities.
(Azaz Syed, Geo News): Ma’am, there are some reports that Pakistan has started unannounced operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the militants. Have we consulted with the Afghan authorities regarding the operation which we are launching on this side of the border?
(Zeeshan Yousafzai, Dunya News): Ma’am, Mr. Azaz just talked about the operation and we have seen in the past that Gul Bahadur group was targeted in Afghanistan. So, have you informed the Afghan authorities? When Ambassador Asif Durrani told them, what were their remarks regarding the launch of operation?
Spokesperson: First of all, any law enforcement operation or activity inside Pakistan is, Pakistan’s sovereign decision, and these actions against terrorism or against any individuals who breaches Pakistani laws and constitution are undertaken by our law enforcement authorities under the guidance of the Government of Pakistan. It is the Ministry of Interior which is the focal Ministry and they can provide you details of any such activity pertaining to law enforcement. Secondly, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged on all aspects of issues of concern for Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the recent meeting held in Doha as well, these issues of concern were discussed, as were the issues pertaining to areas of cooperation. Pakistan has one major concern and that is with regards to the support that terrorist elements receive from sanctuaries and hideouts inside Afghanistan. This has been on the bilateral agenda for some time, and it is an issue that Pakistan will continue to discuss with Afghanistan until effective action is taken against these terror groups with concrete results that are seen on ground.
(Shaukat Piracha, AAJ News): In the last briefing, you stated that the resolution passed by (US) House of Representatives, Resolution No. 901, is an intervention in Pakistan’s affairs. Now the UN Working Group has also spoken on what is purely a domestic Pakistani political issue. A Spokesperson of the UN Secretary General has also spoken on this issue. My question is why is the western world focusing on a matter that is very much Pakistan’s internal issue? Is the staying away of Pakistan from June 15th Ukraine Summit a cause or the visuals coming out from Astana and Dushanbe are irritating some countries and organizations?
Spokesperson: I will not go into the motives of any organization or any country on the recent reports or statements they have made. However, I would like to underline that a report on any particular case is unwarranted when it lacks objectivity and is based on incomplete and inaccurate understanding of Pakistan’s legal and judicial system. You may have seen that the Minister of Law and Justice has already made a statement on the matter, and I would like to advise you to refer to his statement. The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the rights and freedoms of all its citizens. These rights are underwritten by our judiciary. Pakistan is a vibrant democracy with robust institutions in place for dispensing justice and upholding the rule of law. For anyone facing legal proceedings, there are adequate avenues and mechanisms in place to seek justice and redressal of any grievances. The courts of Pakistan adjudicate questions of law as per Pakistani laws and they will determine the innocence or otherwise of any individual under trial.
(Adeel Bashir, Rose News): On the sidelines of SCO Summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with President Putin and suggested barter trade. On the sidelines, President Putin and other countries showing that they are building a bloc against West. So, what would be Pakistan’s reaction?
Spokesperson: I would first like to clarify that Pakistan has repeatedly said that we are not part of any bloc. We do not believe in bloc politics. We believe in good relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect, mutual confidence and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs. Secondly, Pakistan’s membership of SCO is not recent. Pakistan has been a member of SCO for several years now. It is a multilateral organization. It is a regional organization that is focused on promoting regional cooperation and connectivity and finding common solution to common problems, including in security, economic and connectivity issues. With regards to the bilateral meeting that took place between the President of the Russian Federation and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pakistan and the Russian Federation have a positive trajectory of relations. The two countries have been engaged with each other on several aspects of bilateral cooperation. This cooperation has increased in recent years, including in economic and trade matters, energy, connectivity and consultation on regional issues, including on Afghanistan. The discussions that took place between the two leaders yesterday were part of our efforts to find common ground for the mutual benefit of our two countries.
(Kiran Butt, Khorasan diary): Ma’am, another meeting which was held in Doha was our Ambassador hosting the Afghan delegation there. Can we share the details of that meeting? Second question is that Pakistan is making some arrangements for resettlement of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s families and other people in Ghazni Province in Afghanistan and Afghan Taliban are helping in building 200 houses for their settlement. So, on one hand, we are helping them in settlements and on the other hand we have started operation here. So, how is our engagement on this with Afghan Taliban?
Spokesperson: On your second question, I would not engage on speculative reports that have come out on these aspects. Pakistan has been engaged with the Afghan Interim Government and we have been impressing on the Afghan authorities to take effective, meaningful action against terrorist elements, including the leadership of TTP. Any decisions that the Afghan authorities take that leads to effective and meaningful reduction in terror incidents inside Pakistan would be welcomed by Pakistan. We are waiting for Afghan authorities to take these measures for peace in the region and for the mutual benefit of the two countries. Regarding the first question, I already spoke on this in my opening remarks. I can reiterate that, yes, there was a bilateral engagement between the Pakistan delegation and the Afghan delegation, which was participating in Doha 3.0. The bilateral discussions pertained to exchange of views on areas of mutual concern, including peace and security, the need for enhanced efforts to strengthen regional stability and Pakistan’s commitment towards peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Ambassador Durrani also underscored Pakistan’s concerns about terrorist sanctuaries and support network for terrorist groups inside Afghanistan.
(Khawaja Nayyar Iqbal, Media Today): In the Indian assembly, Lok Sabha, opposition leader Rajiv Gandhi recited durood for the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and strongly criticized BJP’s policies regarding Muslim radicalization. Do you want to comment on it?
Spokesperson: I have no comments to offer on the debate that is taking place in Indian Lok Sabha. It is an internal matter of India.
(Mona Khan, Independent News): Ma’am, Mr. Naveed asked a question regarding students of Gaza, I need some clarity on that. Will they be allowed to study online or the Government of Pakistan will invite them to Pakistan?
Spokesperson: As I said, the decision has just been taken. Pakistan is working out on the various modalities of this plan. All these aspects are under consideration. We are keen to provide all possible support to our brothers and sisters from Gaza as they face a very difficult situation in the occupied territory.
(Khalid Mehmood, Express News): Ma’am, every time there’s intervention in Pakistan’s domestic affairs, Pakistan protests. Are these diplomatically with the American government or in the UN’s committee? Secondly, regarding the resolution that was passed in the National Assembly against American representatives, has that resolution been delivered to America?
Spokesperson: Pakistan and the United States have several channels of communication, and through these channels, we continue to discuss all issues that are of concern to either party. We engage with each other and try to understand each other’s perspective. The latest developments have also been discussed by the two sides.
(Khawaja Nayyar Iqbal, Media Today): Are Pakistan-US relations became cold and problematic at some level?
Spokesperson: Pakistan and the United States are engaged with each other. Our relations are multi-faceted. These relations are diverse and longstanding and these relations are not just in the political domain, but also in economic domain. The United States is Pakistan’s largest export market. We have a large diaspora of Pakistanis that serves as a bridge between Pakistan and the United States. The two countries engage and cooperate with each other in the matters of trade, in the areas of science and technology, climate change and defence. So, this is a priority relationship for Pakistan. We will continue to work to strengthen this relationship, remove any misgivings that exist and ensure that this relationship is based on mutual trust, mutual confidence, sovereign equality and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs.
(Saqib Ali Rathore, Daily Kashmir Times): Ma’am, you talked about prisoners exchange between Pakistan and India. Does it also include the citizens of Azad Kashmir who were abducted by Indian Army from our side of LOC?
Spokesperson: I do not have with me the list of Pakistanis or believed-to-be Pakistanis who may be in Indian prisons. The list has been shared with us and Pakistan will be seeking consular access to these individuals. We will continue to work to bring them back to Pakistan.
(Shaukat Piracha, AAJ News): You also talked about the SCO Heads of Governments Meeting to be held in October in Pakistan. The Prime Minister just now while speaking at SCO Summit has shared the dates 15th and 16th October for Heads of Government meeting. Since COVID is over, will this conference will be physical or online, and will Pakistan extend invitation to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit and attend the Summit in Pakistan?
Spokesperson: The summit will be held as per SCO procedures. The chairmanship belongs to Pakistan, so in our capacity as the chair, we will be extending invitations to all Heads of Governments of SCO member states. This conference will take place in person and we hope and expect that all members of SCO will be represented at the Heads of Governments Meeting being held in October.
(Syed Asif Ali, Din News): I have a question regarding Pakistan-South Korean relations. In the recent months, the Korean Ambassador, Park Ki Jun has visited all four provinces and held meetings with the Chief Ministers and the police chiefs as well. So, my question is which are the areas where Pakistan and Korea are expected to enhance their cooperation? And my second question is, if Koreans makes their investments in Pakistan, will the security parameters for Korean investors be the same as for Chinese investors for CPEC?
Spokesperson: Pakistan and the Republic of Korea have decades-old relationship. It is a relationship that has continued to grow in recent years and it encompasses cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, energy, education, trade and commerce. The Republic of Korea is one of the major investors in Pakistan in several areas, including renewable energy, agriculture, transport industry and chemical industry. Pakistan will welcome and will facilitate any investors, Korean or any other nationality, to come and invest in Pakistan. All investors will receive full support from the Government of Pakistan, including security.
(Zeeshan Yousafzai, Dunya News): Madam, the Islamabad High Court has ordered to establish contact with X through the Foreign Office. Has the contact been established regarding the data leaks of the honourable justice?
Spokesperson: I have to check this. I do not have this information readily available with me and I need to check with the relevant department.
(Azaz Syed, Geo News): Ma’am, as Pakistan has announced to conduct Operation Azm-e-Istehkaam and as I mentioned in my previous question that unannounced operations are already taking place. Will there be any intelligence cooperation with Afghanistan? Have we made any engagement with Afghanistan regarding this particular operation, which is against militant groups? Have we received any signal from Afghanistan for their intelligence cooperation?
Spokesperson: I do not understand the context of your question. However, as you may have seen the recent statements made by the Prime Minister’s Office and the relevant ministers, the framework of Azm-e-Istehkaam is clearly defined. It is a multi-domain, multi-agency and whole-of-the-system, national vision for enduring stability in Pakistan. It will focus on re-energizing the ongoing implementation of the revised National Action Plan. It will include political, diplomatic, legal and information prongs, apart from already continuing operation by all law enforcement agencies. So, if and when needed, and when called upon to do so, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will supplement these efforts.
