Summary of Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson’s Briefing
This transcript details a briefing by a Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson, covering several key issues. Here’s a breakdown:
1. treatment of Diplomats (India):
* Pakistan is concerned about the treatment of its diplomats in India, notably in New Delhi.
* They are requesting reciprocal, respectful treatment for Indian diplomats in Pakistan, citing a ancient tradition of fair treatment for envoys.
* They wont thier National Day reception in New Delhi to proceed without the difficulties experienced.
2. Court Judgment Referencing “Terrorist States” (Iran, DPRK, Cuba):
* A local court judge in Pakistan labeled Iran, DPRK (North Korea), and Cuba as “terrorist states” in a recent judgment.
* Pakistan does not agree with this designation. The spokesperson stated this is not a recognized term in international law or UN parlance.The judgment represents the judge’s personal views.
3. Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations:
* Pakistan desires a mutually beneficial relationship with Afghanistan, focusing on connectivity and economic cooperation.
* However, relations are severely strained due to Pakistan’s concerns about terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, specifically from groups like TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) and Fitnah-al-Khawaraj.
* Pakistan believes the Taliban regime is not taking sufficient action to address these concerns.
* The spokesperson strongly condemned a recent provocative speech by a religious leader in Khost, Afghanistan, threatening Pakistan with revenge for actions against TTP.
* Pakistan is urging the Afghan Taliban to discourage such inflammatory rhetoric.
* The spokesperson explicitly stated they are not comparing the situation with afghanistan to their relationship with India, viewing it as a unique case.
* Border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been closed for three months.
* While diplomatic channels exist, the spokesperson offered a pessimistic outlook on improvement without concrete action from the Afghan side.
4. Kalbhushan Jadhav (Indian National):
* Kalbhushan Jadhav remains convicted and in Pakistani custody.
* Pakistan maintains he was an Indian military/intelligence operative caught infiltrating Pakistani territory and involved in terrorist activities.
* He possessed Indian military documentation (paybook, service book) at the time of his arrest.
* The spokesperson did not address the question of Indian access to Jadhav, but reiterated his conviction and background.
Overall Tone:
The spokesperson’s tone is firm, particularly regarding Afghanistan. They express disappointment and concern over the lack of action on Pakistan’s security concerns and condemn provocative statements. Regarding the court judgment, they were swift to distance Pakistan from the judge’s opinion.The response regarding India was more measured,focusing on reciprocal treatment of diplomats.