ISLAMABAD – Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zahid Hafeez Wednesday said that there is no change whatsoever in Pakistan’s position on the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan’s position is anchored on the United Nations (UN) resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The spokesman made this statement while briefing the members of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir here at the Parliament House.
Shehryar Khan Afridi, Chairman of the Committee, chaired the meeting.
MoFA spokesman Zahid Hafeez said that Prime Minister’s statement made in Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, was consistent with Pakistan’s longstanding policy on Jammu and Kashmir dispute and Pakistan would continue its support of Kashmiris at all forums.
He said that the recent understanding between the Pakistani and Indian military to observe the Line of Control agreement of year 2003 was aimed at saving lives and prosperities of the Kashmiri people living on both sides of the LoC.
“To save Kashmiri lives and to provide some comfort to Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC, it was necessary to abide by ceasefire agreement,” he said.
He said the focus was on purely military understanding on military mechanisms reached about ceasefire on the LoC.
He said Pakistan believes that any violation of ceasefire agreement may jeopardise regional peace and may also hurt the Kashmiris living on both sides of the LoC.
“There is absolutely no change in Pakistan’s stance on resolving Kashmir dispute through dialogue and under the UN resolutions on Kashmir dispute,” he said.
Chairman said that the pertinent questions of Khurram Dastagir Khan would be addressed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in next meeting.
Pemra Chairman Saleem Ahmed said that 50 TV channels had given specific time to coverage of Kashmir issue and 38 channels had covered Kashmir in terms of documentaries, songs and programmes.
He said only in February, ten hours coverage was given by each TV channel. While Prime Minister’s speech in Kotli was covered by 48 TV channels. He said that Pemra can direct private channels to air 10 percent content under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Chairman Kashmir Committee Shehryar Khan directed that private TV channels must develop tele-films, dramas and special awareness programmes to project awareness on Kashmir dispute.
Chairman Kashmir Committee also took exception to the absence of regional head of social media site, Facebook, from the committee meeting wherein the official refused to attend the meeting. Shehryar Khan Afridi directed the Chairman PTA to ensure that the Facebook regional representative attend the next meeting of the Committee and respond to the questions raised by the committee members.
Chairman PTA briefed that the Facebook didn’t block a single account of a Pakistani user while one account was reported in year 2020. He said that the PTA was in contact with the Facebook and the organisation was establishing its office in Pakistan to ensure compliance with local laws.
Chairman Kashmir Committee Shehryar Khan Afridi directed PTA Chairman to ensure compliance of state policy protocols by the social media site.
He asked the PTA Chairman to fix an online meeting with the regional representative of Facebook to ensure that Kashmiri and Pakistani users are provided equal opportunities at social media sites.
Later, Ministry of Information and its attached departments, including Radio Pakistan, EP Wing, PID, PTV, ISA and APP made presentations to brief the Parliamentary Committee on projection of Kashmir dispute.
The committee also passed a resolution to welcome the commitment shown by Prime Minister Imran Khan for linking the resolution of Kashmir dispute with regional peace and stability.
The resolution acknowledged the role played by Prime Minister Imran Khan as an ambassador for Kashmiris and extended full support to the efforts being made for resolution of Kashmir dispute.
The resolution said that Kashmir is a jugular vein of Pakistan per the vision of father of the nation Mohammad Ali Jinnah and said that Pakistan would resolve the Kashmir dispute in line with the United Nations resolutions on the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution demanded the United Nations Human Rights Council and other international Human Rights organizations to ensure immediate release of all the political prisoners of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir especially senior leaders of Hurriyat Conference who have been put behind bars for decades without any conviction.
The resolution specifically called for release of Syed Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam Bhat, Yasin Malik, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Ashraf Sehrai, Asiya Andrabi, Fehmida Sofi, Naheeda Nasreen and others who have been subjected to inhuman treatment in prisons and demanded to shift all the women prisoners of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir back to Kashmiri prisons.
The resolution also called for provision of basic facilities, medical assistance and access of families to the Kashmiri prisoners who are mostly shifted to infamous Tehar Jail of India.