ISLAMABAD, Jun 21 :Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Saturday said the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the primary source of conflict in South Asia and a nuclear flash point.
\nWhile making a statement at the 51st Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, he said, \u201cThere is an urgent need for renewed and concerted efforts under the UN auspices to secure a just, lasting, and peaceful resolution of the dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.\u201d
\n?\u201cWe urge the OIC to once again condemn Indian aggression, implement the OIC Action Plan on Jammu and Kashmir, and support a just resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute,\u201d he added.
\nHe said, \u201cThis meeting is taking place at a crucial time, and against the backdrop of unprecedented challenges being faced by the Muslim Ummah. \u201c
\n\u201cAs I speak, millions continue to be subjected to unprecedented suffering in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Several OIC Member States are witnessing blatant armed aggression,\u201d he added.
\nHe said, \u201cLong unresolved conflicts and situations of foreign occupation \u2013 from Palestine to Jammu & Kashmir \u2013 continue to simmer. Islamophobia, discrimination, and negative stereotyping of Muslims are on the rise.\u201d
\nHe said ?Pakistan remained deeply concerned at the escalating tensions, deepening instability, and humanitarian crises across the Middle East.
\n\u201cWhat underpins many of these situations is the continued impunity with which Israel is undermining peace and stability of the broader region,\u201d he added.
\nHe said ?Israel\u2019s genocidal campaign against the Palestinians continued unabated, with over 55,000 Palestinians \u2013 mainly women and children \u2013 martyred and even a larger number injured in Gaza alone.
\n\u201cMillions remain displaced, and entire communities and neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble. Life-saving and humanitarian aid is being deliberately denied, along with targeting of the humanitarian workers. \u201c
\nHe recalled that ?Pakistan being a non-permanent member of the UNSC, co-sponsored a resolution for immediate ceasefire in Gaza earlier this month, which was unfortunately vetoed.
\n\u201c?We demand an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, along with unfettered humanitarian access, and accountability for Israeli war crimes. Lasting peace in the region cannot be achieved without allowing Palestinians their inalienable right to self-determination for a viable, secure, contiguous, and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.\u201d
\nHe said ?Pakistan strongly condemned Israel\u2019s unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in violation of international law and the UN Charter. Israeli aggression poses a grave threat to regional and global peace and security.
\n?\u201cIsraeli aggression represents a dangerous escalation, and is a serious threat to peace and stability, not only of the region, but the wider world as well. We can all feel the reverberations of this instability,\u201d he continued.
\nHe said, \u201c?As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, at Iran\u2019s request, Pakistan fully supported convening an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council last week to discuss Israeli aggression against Iran. We expressed our full support and solidarity with Iran during the meeting.\u201d
\n\u201c?We fully support Iran\u2019s inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, in response to the blatant and unprovoked Israeli aggression,\u201d he remarked adding, \u201c?Our region recently witnessed another act of violation of the principles of the UN Charter in the form of unprovoked and unjustified military aggression by India against Pakistan. In response, we had no choice but to exercise our right to self-defense.\u201d
\nHe said, \u201cWe repulsed the outrageous Indian attack, downed 6 of their military Jet -fighter aircrafts, and inflicted heavy damage to several of India\u2019s military installations. Unlike India\u2019s cowardly attack on our civilians, Pakistan only targeted Indian military installations in response.\u201d
\n?\u201cPakistan is taking all necessary steps to ensure regional stability. However, the provocative and inflammatory statements being made by the Indian leadership, as well as India\u2019s unilateral and illegal actions, especially its decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, represent an intent to further destabilize the region.\u201d
\nHe categorically stated that Pakistan will not allow India to stop water for our people and will treat as an act of war.
\nHe said, \u201c?Pakistan has made immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. Despite this, externally sponsored terrorism continues to inflict human as well as material losses to Pakistan.\u201d
\n\u201cGroups such as TTP and ISIL-K operate from our neighbouring territory, with support from foreign hostile agencies, launching cross-border attacks against our people. These attacks are not isolated, but part of a systematic campaign of state-enabled terrorism.\u201d
\nHe said ?Afghanistan remained critical to regional peace. \u201cPakistan seeks continued humanitarian support for the Afghan people, unfreezing of assets, and regional connectivity to restore stability. We remain actively engaged with the Afghan Interim Government diplomatically and have recently upgraded our diplomatic Mission in Kabul to Ambassadorial level.\u201d
\nHe urged the Afghan Interim Government to fulfill its commitments on counterterrorism and human rights, particularly respect for the rights of women and girls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Jun 21 :Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Saturday said the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the primary source of conflict in South Asia and a nuclear flash point. While making a statement at the 51st Session of the […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":121645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6363],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kashmir-latest-news"],"yoast_head":"\n