ISLAMABAD: The visiting foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates assured Pakistan on Thursday of their countries’ complete support for resolving the situation created by India’s unilateral steps in occupied Kashmir.

The assurance was given by Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Ahmed Al Jubeir and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan during their meeting with Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi.

According to the military’s media wing, matters of mutual interest, including growing bilateral ties and the security situation in the region, were discussed. The foreign ministers appreciated Pakistan’s role for peace and stability in the region.

President, PM apprise Omani parliamentarians of Pakistan’s concern over worsening rights situation in India-held valley

Gen Bajwa said Pakistan was proud of its “special strategic and brotherly relationship” with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The ministers had called on Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday.

Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in India-held Kashmir because of the month-long complete lockdown and communications blackout in the occupied territory.

Omani parliamentary delegation

Amid international diplomatic efforts over the situation in India-held Kashmir, the Pakistani leadership met a visiting Omani parliamentary delegation in Islamabad on Thursday.

The six-member Omani delegation, headed by Majlis Al Shura Chairman Sheikh Khalid Bin Hilal Al Maawali, called on President Arif Alvi at the President House, where the latter extended invitation to the Sultan of Oman to visit Pakistan.

Mr Alvi sought Oman’s support for solidifying the stance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the people of occupied Kashmir. “Every Muslim must feel the pain of the innocent Kashmiris who are subjected to blatant human rights violation by Indian security forces through ghastly clampdown, involving a month-long curfew and suspension of basic amenities of life to the people,” he said.

The president said the international community must pressurise India to respect the United Nations Security Council resolutions that gave an inalienable right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir.

“Indian fascist regime, previously involved in the Gujarat massacre, has now endangered the regional and international peace because of its access to the nuclear button,” the president said, adding that Pakistan strongly rejected the illegal Indian decision to unilaterally alter the disputed status of the valley, which was a breach of the UNSC resolutions.

He said India’s assertion of Jammu and Kashmir being an internal matter was not true as testified by a recent meeting of the UNSC on Kashmir.

Highlighting the close interaction between parliaments and formation of friendship groups in the upper houses of both countries, the president said Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Oman and was keen to further enhance these brotherly relations in all spheres. In this regard, the creation of Pak-Oman friendship group in the upper house of Omani parliament would further connect the two countries.

President Alvi said regular high-level interactions through established mechanisms of political consultations and joint commission would promote and expand bilateral ties in diverse fields.

Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal said the formation of friendship groups in the upper houses of both countries would go a long way in further bolstering the bilateral relations. He said Pakistani diaspora in Oman was playing an invaluable role in the progress and prosperity of Oman.

The delegation included Mohammed Ali Amer Baqi, Mohameed Khamis Abdullah Al Badi, Mohameed Ramadhan Qasim Al Balushi, Yoonis Yaqoob Issa Al Siyabi, Murad Ali Yousaf, Salim Hamad Saed Al Mufarraji and Ambassador Al Sheikh Omar Al Marhoon.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser was also present during the meeting.

Meeting with PM

The Omani parliamentary delegation later met Prime Minister Imran Khan at the PM Office. The prime minister informed the Omani delegation about Pakistan’s deep concern over the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in India-held Kashmir due to month-long complete lockdown and communications blackout. Mr Khan said world must take notice of the plight of Muslims in occupied Kashmir facing atrocities at the hands of Indian security forces. He stressed the importance of immediate lifting of curfew, removal of restrictions on movement and communications and respect for the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people.

He said there was a genuine fear of a false flag operation to divert world’s attention from India’s illegal actions and intensified repression of Kashmiris which had created grave risks to peace and security in the region.

Sheikh Khalid Bin Hilal thanked the prime minister for apprising his delegation of the worsening situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, plight of the Kashmiris, and the implications of Indian actions and continuous lockdown. Expressing concern over these developments, he affirmed Oman’s support for efforts for the alleviation of the sufferings of Kashmiri people and for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

The two sides reiterated the need for further enhancing bilateral trade ties and strengthening mutual cooperation in various areas.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2019