FO refutes claims of pressure on former envoy to US Asad Majeed

Islamabad: Rebutting claims of pressure on  former ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed, the Foreign Office said Monday that no one pressurised the envoy at any time.

Addressing a press confernece, the spokesman Asim Iftikhar ruled out the possibility of any editing of the communication.

He talked about the issue of cypher and said it was important to recall that the matter had been discussed in two meetings of the National Security Committee (NSC).

The communiqués of the two meetings complement each other, he added.

“Let me recall that the 22nd April NSC meeting discussed the telegram received from Pakistan Embassy in Washington. Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the US briefed the committee on the context and content of his telegram. The NSC after examining the contents of the communication, reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting.”

“The NSC was again informed by the premier security agencies that they have found no evidence of any conspiracy. Therefore, the NSC after reviewing the contents of the Communication, the assessments received, and the conclusions presented by the security agencies, concluded that there has been no foreign conspiracy.”

“That is the most authentic reference to the entire matter, from the relevant and competent governmental forum. I have nothing to add to that. The communiqués of the NSC meetings speak for themselves.”

The spokesperson said the ambassador would continue working as his transfer from Washington to Brussels was part of a routine procedure.

-- Struggle for Kasmiris to continue --

Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination as pledged to them by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, said Foreign Office Spokesperon Asim Iftikhar on Monday.

Addressing the weekly press briefing here, he said Pakistan rejected Indian Prime Minister’s staged visit to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on 24 April that was yet another ploy to project fake ‘normalcy’ in the occupied territory.

Since 5 August 2019, the international community had witnessed many such desperate attempts by India to divert attention from the actual underlying issues in IIOJK including Indian state-sponsored terrorism as well as widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, he added.

“It is not surprising, therefore, that while the Indian Prime Minister was on his brief visit to Jammu under a heavy security cover, the people of IIOJK were observing a ‘black day’ as an expression of their rejection of India’s mischief and illegal policies.
You have also seen protests and demonstrations in AJK and other places.”

He said Pakistan had also strongly condemned the laying of foundation stones for the construction of the Rattle and Kwar Hydroelectric Projects (HEP) on Chenab River in IIOJK, and had called upon India to fulfill its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty and refrain from taking any such steps which were detrimental to the IWT framework.

“Pakistan salutes the Kashmiris as they remain undaunted in their determination to stand against India’s oppressive occupation.

Extra-judicial killings continue unabated in IIOJK. During last week, in staged cordon and search operations, seven (7) more Kashmiri youth embraced martyrdom in Shopian and Baramullah districts.”

“Regretfully, three more innocent Kashmiri lives have been taken in Pulwama. For the international community, it is extremely alarming that more than 580 innocent Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces since August 2019.”

This streak of armed Hindutva majoritarianism was also spreading fast inside India, particularly during the Holy month of Ramazan, he told.