Islamabad, 30 July 2022 (TDI): Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, in a weekly briefing, called upon the Indian government to stop persecuting the true representatives of the Kashmiri people and refrain from politicizing external affairs such as CPEC and the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai.
Spokesperson @asimiahmad on human rights violation in #IIOJK
💬 “#India, the serial violator of human rights, would be well advised to introspect its inhumane siege of IIOJK & its total failure to smother the flame of freedom & self-determination from hearts of the Kashmiris”. pic.twitter.com/AfHOL7k0cr
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) July 29, 2022
While addressing the weekly press conference, Asim Iftikhar stated that India is a persistent violator of human rights and would be wise for it to reflect on its inhumane siege of Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He added that India’s failed attempts to distort the truth by making irresponsible, reckless, and untenable claims stand fully exposed and risk leading the world astray.
Read more: Pakistan condemns remarks of Indian Minister
Furthermore, he claimed that Pakistan is still gravely concerned about the state of Muhammad Yasin Malik, the head of the Hurriyat.
The Hurriyat leader still endures hardships due to his justified opposition to India’s illegitimate occupation of IIOJK. He urged his immediate release, as Pakistan condemns this legal persecution.
He continued that more than 1.5 billion people in this region “deserve to see the dawn of peace and prosperity.” However, India’s hostile agenda, hegemonistic designs, and systematic violations of human rights in IIOJK have prevented that.
Indian Minister’s preposterous remarks on CPEC
Pakistan rejected the baseless remarks made by the Indian Minister of External Affairs to politicize CPEC.
Indian MEA, Arindam Bagchi, expressed strong opposition to expanding CPEC projects to any third country and concerns about its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Indian spokesperson made these remarks in response to a query posed over reports that China and Pakistan intended to extend the CPEC projects to Afghanistan.
#Pakistan strongly rejects & condemns
🔴 Comments made by Indian Defence Minister at a recent event in #IIOJK
🔴 Remarks made by MEA Spokesperson in an effort to politicize CPEC
🔴 Politicization of 44th Chess Olympiad being held in Chennai❗️Leading to non-participation of 🇵🇰. pic.twitter.com/hMTj4MRoCT
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) July 29, 2022
Asim Iftikhar asserted that attacks on CPEC demonstrate India’s insecurities and hegemonic agenda, which have long held back socio-economic development in South Asia.
Moreover, Pakistan rejected India’s fallacious assertion that CPEC violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
India has been infringing on international law and pertinent UNSC resolutions by committing flagrant and pervasive human rights violations in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and obscene territorial and demographic changes there.
The politicization of the Chess Olympiad
The spokesperson, Asim Iftikhar, condemned India’s politicization of the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai by passing a torch relay through Srinagar in the IIOJK.
Consequently, Pakistan withdrew from the largest chess tournament in the world held in India for conducting a torch relay across Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The foreign office issued a statement stating that India has perpetrated a travesty that the international community cannot accept under any circumstances.
It further said that India must understand that it cannot claim international legitimacy for its illegal occupation of IIOJK by engaging in such provocative and indefensible activities.
Pakistan reaffirmed that this is an utter disregard of the globally acknowledged “disputed” status of the territory.
The mischievous attempt to merge politics with sports was denounced, and the spokesperson assured that the issue would be brought up with the International Chess Federation.
