Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan reiterated its demand for India to be held responsible for the ongoing human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where over 7,000 Kashmiris have lost their lives while in the custody of Indian forces over the past three decades. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch emphasized the reported death of a Kashmiri civilian at a police station in Pulwama district within IIOJK during her regular press briefing.
Baloch condemned the repeated incidents of custodial deaths in IIOJK, stating that accountability must be established for those responsible for such atrocities. Pakistan remains steadfast in its political, diplomatic, and moral support for the Kashmiri people, advocating for a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir conflict in alignment with UN Security Council resolutions.
Additionally, Baloch highlighted Pakistan’s recent election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2025-2026, garnering overwhelming support from 182 members of the UN General Assembly. Pakistan aims to actively engage in promoting peaceful dispute resolutions, opposing unilateral use of force, combating terrorism, supporting UN peacekeeping efforts, addressing regional and international crises, and advocating for democracy, transparency, and accountability within the Council.
Furthermore, Baloch strongly denounced the recent attacks by Israeli forces on a UN-operated school in Gaza, resulting in multiple casualties, particularly among women and children. She condemned the intentional targeting of civilian populations and facilities as clear violations of international law, constituting war crimes.
Addressing the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli extremists, Baloch emphasized the imperative for occupation authorities to respect religious sites and urged for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to halt civilian massacres. Pakistan calls for holding Israel accountable for its actions.
In response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar is set to attend an extraordinary meeting of the D8 Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul. The meeting aims to discuss the international community’s shared responsibility in achieving an urgent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, ending the unjustified war on its people, and providing essential humanitarian relief.
The passing of the Tunisian Ambassador in Islamabad due to illness was also acknowledged, with expressions of condolences extended to the Tunisian government and the bereaved family. Additionally, discussions revolved around Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to China, where both sides signed 23 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors such as transport infrastructure, industry, energy, agriculture, media, health, water, and socio-economic development.