UNITED NATIONS: The blistering report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir has revived interest in the lingering dispute at the international level, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said while giving impressions of the intensive round of talks he had with his counterparts from around the world at the United Nations.
“There was perceptible difference in their attitude toward Kashmir as the report focuses on the humanitarian aspect of the dispute,” Qureshi told reporters as he wound up his 6-day visit to New York as leader of the Pakistan delegation to the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.
The main thrust of the report — the UN’s first — is devoted to the severe repression employed by the occupation forces and other security forces against a majority Muslim population in the Kashmir valley and its environs.
“The continuing human tragedy in occupied Kashmir definitely struck a sympathetic cord among world leaders,” Qureshi said, as he prepared to leave for Washington where he was set to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an effort to rebuild US-Pakistan relations.
The evidenced-based report on the brutalities of the Indian security forces in Kashmir had, in fact, endorsed what Pakistan has been telling international community about the situation there, he said.
The foreign minister said he had 54 interactions with delegates to the UNGA, including 22 bilateral meetings, and 11 multilateral meeting packed in his six-days here.
“I presented Pakistan’s case to my counterparts as representative of the new government,” Qureshi said, adding that one of his priorities was to reconnect Pakistan with nations that previous government virtually ignored.
He thanked Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi for her leadership in preparing an imaginative program for his visit and praised Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, who is accompanying him, as a competent and conscientious diplomat.
The foreign minister said he was glad to see that Pakistan was looked at with respect for its positive role at the United Nations, especially as a leading troop contributor to the UN peacekeeping operations. He said Guterres described Pakistan as a “privileged partner of the UN.”
The foreign minister he took the opportunity to draw his attention the jingoistic rhetoric from New Delhi, and asked the Secretary-General to warn India against embarking on any misadventure against Pakistan. The UN chief is due to visit India next week.
Responding to a question, whether he would try to enlist US help when he meets Secretary Pompeo, Qureshi warned that Pakistan’s armed forces, backed by the entire nation, would give a befitting reply to India if such a situation arose.
Qureshi said he found a lot of interest among the top diplomats at the UN he met about the policies and objectives of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policies and objectives. “They wanted to know a lot more about him,” he said.
As regards, Aafia Siddiqui, the jailed Pakistani neuroscientist, the foreign minister said he would raise her case with US authorities and seek her release. At the same time, he pointed out that US has its own laws but every effort would be made to find a way to end her incarceration.
UN report on Indian HR violations has breathed new life in Kashmir dispute — Qureshi
UN report on Indian HR violations has breathed new life in Kashmir dispute — Qureshi
Captain Agha reiterates Pakistan’s refusal to play India at the T20 World Cup
- India vs. Pakistan is usually the showpiece match in world tournaments, with the eyeballs on it rising into the hundreds of millions
- The boycott has caused an uproar and the International Cricket Council is trying to resolve the issue with the Pakistan Cricket Board
COLOMBO: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has reiterated that his team will abide by his government’s ruling not to play India in the much-anticipated Twenty20 World Cup fixture next week.
India vs. Pakistan is usually the showpiece match in world tournaments — the eyeballs on it rise into the hundreds of millions. The boycott has caused an uproar and the International Cricket Council is trying to resolve the problem with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
At a captains’ media conference on Thursday, Agha repeated the team will follow its government’s advice.
“The India game is not in our control,” Agha said. “The government has decided and we respect that. Whatever they are saying we’ll do.
“We are playing three other (group) games and we are excited about that.”
Pakistan’s World Cup opener is against the Netherlands on Saturday in Colombo. It will play all of its games in co-host Sri Lanka. Namibia and the United States are also in the group. The India game is scheduled for Feb. 15 in Colombo.
In Mumbai, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said they were going to Colombo whether the match was on or not.
“(Our) mindset is pretty clear,” Yadav said. “We did not refuse to play them. The refusal came from them. ICC organized the fixture. BCCI and (Indian) government decided to play in neutral venue in coordination with ICC. Our flight to Colombo is booked. So we are going. We’ll see what happens later.”
The Pakistan government decision came after Bangladesh was kicked out of the World Cup by the ICC. Bangladesh refused to play in India for security reasons and wanted its games moved to Sri Lanka but the ICC dismissed those concerns.
Agha said he was saddened that Bangladesh wasn’t playing in the World Cup for the first time and asked Bangladeshi fans to back his team.
Pakistan has accused the ICC of double standards and not accommodating security concerns. India and Pakistan do not play in each other’s territory and meet in ICC tournaments only at neutral venues.
Their countries are embroiled in military and diplomatic tensions which have spilled into sports for more than a decade. Last year at the men’s Asian Cup and Women’s World Cup, the teams did not shake hands when they met.
