pakistan

FO rejects ill-informed US report on religious freedom in Pakistan

Published

12 months ago

May 18, 2023

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FO rejects ill-informed US report on religious freedom in Pakistan

Foreign Office has strongly rejected the baseless assertions made about Pakistan in the International Religious Freedom Report released by the United States.

At her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that such ill-informed reporting exercises about internal affairs of sovereign states were pointless, irresponsible and counterproductive.

She said Pakistan was proud of its religious diversity and pluralistic social fabric. She said Pakistan’s constitution set a robust framework to safeguard and advance the rights and freedoms of all Pakistanis irrespective of their faith. These rights and constitutional guarantees were protected, upheld and reinforced by an independent judiciary.

The Spokesperson said Pakistan strongly believed that each state itself had the primary responsibility to promote and protect religious rights and freedoms of its nationals. With this understanding, she said, Pakistan had always engaged constructively with the international community in promoting mutual understanding on the important question of religious freedom and minority rights.

“In our interactions including with the United States, we have raised serious concerns about the steady surge in anti-Muslim hatred, racism and Islamophobia.” She said, “We hope to work with international partners to counter these pernicious forms of religious intolerance, discrimination and Islamophobia.”

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch welcomed the important statement made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Affairs on the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. She pointed out that the Special Rapporteur in his statement had warned against Indian plans to hold the G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar.

She said, “We agree with the Special Rapporteur that the situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir should be decried and condemned and not pushed under the rug and ignored with the holding of the G-20 meeting.” She asked the G-20 members to pay due attention to these observations and sage advice.

The spokesperson said Pakistan had a principled position on Jammu and Kashmir dispute which was rooted in the UN Security Council resolutions which called for its solution on the basis of the aspirations of Kashmiri people under the UN supervised plebiscite.

She categorically stated that Pakistan’s position on Jammu and Kashmir dispute had not changed. Responding to a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan remained committed to the gas pipeline project with Iran. She said, “We are engaged with Iran to discuss the issues regarding the completion of this important project.”

Condemning the recent violence in Gaza, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch called on Israel to adhere to its international obligations and respect the recent ceasefire agreement. She reaffirmed Pakistan’s unstinted support for the Palestinian cause and renewed its call for a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian state with Pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital.

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Former PM Raja Parvez Ashraf raises concerns over IMF bailout conditions

Published

10 mins ago

May 3, 2024

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Former PM Raja Parvez Ashraf raises concerns over IMF bailout conditions

Former prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf has raised concerns about the potential conditions of the new IMF bailout package for Pakistan.

In a statement issued on Friday, the PPP Central Punjab President suggested that the government should brief parliament on the IMF package, with the finance minister providing lawmakers with details on new taxes and approved austerity measures during an in-camera session.

Ashraf underscored that instead of privatising Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other vital institutions, state-owned enterprises should be managed through public-private partnerships.

The former PM strongly opposed the idea of imposing taxes on pensioners, deeming it unacceptable. He urged the Finance Ministry to seek an alternative solution.

Raja Parvez Ashraf also highlighted the potential for enhanced harmony between the Centre and the provinces through the full implementation of the 18th Amendment.

He also proposed the abolition of unnecessary ministries to alleviate the financial burden on the federation.

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pakistan

Pakistan slams Indian atrocities against minorities, Kashmiris at UN

Published

11 mins ago

May 3, 2024

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Pakistan slams Indian atrocities against minorities, Kashmiris at UN

Pakistan addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday, asserting that India was targeting Indian Muslims, Christians and Muslims in occupied Kashmir, and urged an end to their harsh suppression.

Ambassador Munir Akram stated during a debate on ‘Culture of Peace’ that since the BJP-RSS government took office in 2014, hate, oppression and violence against India’s 200 million Muslims, as well as other minorities like Christians and the ‘lower-caste’ Dalits, became rampant and systematic, driven by the ideology of Hindutva.

The envoy emphasised that unless Hindutva fascism was opposed and the impunity of the BJP-RSS ended, wider violence and conflict in South Asia would remain a real and present danger.

Despite efforts to promote a “Culture of Peace,” Akram noted a rise in hate, violence and war worldwide, with over 300 conflicts raging across the globe.

Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to combat Islamophobia, Akram expressed deep concern at the officially sanctioned manifestations of Islamophobia in India, citing the Citizenship Law and National Registry list designed to exclude Muslims from citizenship.

The envoy warned of the spread of Hindutva extremism, which he said turbo-charged repression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He called for urgent resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Akram also highlighted India’s belligerence towards Pakistan, citing threats from Indian officials to “take over” Azad Kashmir and dangerous military doctrines adopted by India.

He accused India of financing and sponsoring terrorist groups to disrupt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and highlighted Pakistan’s concerns over India’s campaign of targeted assassinations, even beyond its borders.

Akram emphasised the urgent need for the international community to address these issues and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stability in the region.

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pakistan

NA Secretariat accepts inclusion of independent members in SIC

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2024

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NA Secretariat accepts inclusion of independent members in SIC

he National Assembly Secretariat has accepted the inclusion of independent members (PTI-backed MNAs) in the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Dunya News reported.

The National Assembly Secretariat has released a list of 83 members of Sunni Ittehad Council on its official website after the approval of NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

After the inclusion of independent members, Sunni Ittehad Council has become second largest party in the lower house of the parliament with 83 members.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had sent a notification regarding the inclusion of independent members in the SIC to the National Assembly Secretariat.

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