ISLAMABAD : Pakistan on Friday announced to boycott 44th Chess Olympiad being held in Chennai , India for rallying the torch through Srinagar , Indian occupied Kashmir .
Foreign Office spokesman , Asim Iftikhar told a weekly press briefing held at Foreign Office here that Pakistan strongly condemns Indian plan to politicise sports by taking torch rally
Of 44th Chess Olympiad being held in Chennai, India.
The spokesman said Pakistan has decided to take up the matter with International Chess Federation .
The spokesman briefing also covered other events . These are following .
FM’s Engagements
Let me begin with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s visit to Tashkent from 28-29 July, where he is leading Pakistan’s delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ (SCO-CFM) Meeting.
At the Ministerial Meeting, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong partnership with SCO and our unflinching commitment to the ‘Shanghai Spirit.’
Appreciating SCO’s contributions towards regional economy, security and stability, the FM also drew attention to a number of challenges, including the situation in Afghanistan and importance of averting an economic or humanitarian crisis; combating terrorism; and managing the ancillary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic including reduction in trade flows, declining production, rising inflation and growing unemployment.
The FM emphasized the importance of multilateralism, cooperative inter-state relations and ‘shared goals for shared prosperity’. He also stressed on enhancing connectivity, digitalization of business, sustainability of e-commerce ecosystem and building a more resilient economic model.
On the margins of the CFM, Foreign Minister Bilawal is having bilateral meetings with a number of counterparts including China, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
You would recall that earlier last week, SCO Secretary-General Ambassador Zhang Ming had visited Pakistan.
MOS Engagements
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar represented Pakistan at the 20th Developing-Eight (D-8) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting hosted by Bangladesh in hybrid format on 27 July 2022.
In her statement, the Minister of State called for creating a conducive environment for intra-D-8 trade through facilitative legal frameworks, and equal opportunities for investment and business. She proposed setting up a Private Sector Coordination Facility to boost economic cooperation amongst the D-8. Referring to Pakistan’s geo-economics vision, the MOS highlighted the critical overland and maritime connectivity afforded by Pakistan that made us one of most pivotal states in the world. She also expressed confidence that through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), this geo-political asset would rapidly turn into a geo-economic dividend.
Pakistan-U.S. Health Dialogue
Pakistan-U.S. Health Dialogue was held on 25th July at the U.S. Department of State. The Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination led the Pakistan delegation.
Focusing on seven themes, the Health Dialogue was an opportunity for wide-ranging discussions, wherein Pakistan and the United States inter-alia pledged greater exchange of information, expertise, and best practices in fighting diseases.
High Level Engagements
During the week, the Ambassadors of China, the European Union, Turkmenistan, Japan, and Uzbekistan called on Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Yesterday, the Italian Ambassador called on the Minister of State.
Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood welcomed Spain’s Ambassador-designate and also received the Belgian Ambassador for a farewell call.
Earlier today Foreign Secretary received Ambassador designate Jemal Beker Abdula as first-ever resident Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan.
Rejection of Comments by India
Ladies and Gentlemen
You would have seen our statement completely rejecting and strongly condemning the unwarranted and totally unacceptable comments made by the Indian Defence Minister at a recent event in IIOJK.
Pakistan has also categorically rejected the baseless and misguided remarks made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson in an effort to politicize the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Attempts to cast aspersions over CPEC show India’s insecurity as well as the pursuit of a hegemonic agenda that has held back socio-economic development in South Asia for decades.
We reject India’s fallacious assertion that CPEC impinged on its “sovereignty and territorial integrity”. It is in fact India that is illegally occupying the State of Jammu & Kashmir for over seven decades while perpetrating gross and widespread human rights violations and effectuating blatant territorial and demographic changes in the occupied territory in complete contravention of international law and relevant UNSC resolutions.
You would have seen our statement condemning India’s politicization of the 44th Chess Olympiad being held in Chennai, by passing the torch relay through Srinagar in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir which is in utter disregard of the globally acknowledged “disputed” status of the territory. By way of protesting India’s regrettable and mischievous attempt to mix politics with sports, Pakistan has decided not to participate in the 44th Chess Olympiad and will also raise the matter with the International Chess Federation at the highest level.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
India, the serial violator of human rights, would be well advised to introspect its inhumane siege of IIOJK and its total failure to smother the flame of freedom and self-determination from the hearts of the Kashmiris despite employing draconian tactics, indiscriminate use of illegitimate force, unleashing a reign of terror, torture and human rights violations for the past 75 years. India’s futile attempts to obfuscate cold facts by making controversial, irresponsible, and untenable assertions stand fully exposed – it cannot mislead the world.
IIOJK-Yasin Malik
Pakistan remains deeply concerned over the deteriorating health of Hurriyat leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik. He continues to suffer for his legitimate political resistance to India’s illegal occupation of IIOJK. We reject this judicial persecution and demand his immediate release.
The inhuman incarceration of Yasin Malik, his sham trials under fabricated cases, the fallacious conviction and the malfeasant attempts at tarnishing the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris for their right to self-determination only further confirm India’s known credentials as a serial violator of human rights and usurper of fundamental freedoms of the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan calls upon the Indian government to refrain from victimizing the true representatives of the Kashmiri people by way of inhuman and illegal detentions and implications through sham trials in baseless and fictitious cases.
Pakistan once again urges the international community to take cognizance of India’s inhuman and illegal detention and treatment of Yasin Malik and of other political leaders, and to ensure that the Kashmiri people can exercise their right to self-determination as promised to them by the UN and the international community.
More than 1.5 billion people of this region deserve to see the dawn of peace and prosperity – something that has been held hostage to India’s hostile agenda, hegemonistic designs and systematic violations of human rights in IIOJK.
As we prepare to solemnly commemorate Youm-e-Istehsaal on 5 August marking three years of India’s unilateral and illegal actions in IIOJK and unabated human rights violations, we salute the indomitable spirit of the people of IIOJK. We honor their immense sacrifices. And we reaffirm our resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters and extend unrelenting, all possible support until they realize their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC Resolutions.
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