Islamabad urges UAE to lift travel curbs for Pakistanis

Pakistan on Thursday hoped that UAE would review its Covid-related travel restrictions for Pakistanis after a sharp decline in new virus cases.

“We have shared the latest information about Covid-19 numbers with the UAE Government. We hope that the UAE will review its COVID related advisory for all Pakistanis soon. Currently, Pakistanis having diplomatic and official visas and UAE Golden visas can travel to the UAE,” Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Chaudhyr said said.

Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri at a weekly press briefing said India must revisit its unlawful and destabilizing actions in IIOJK and ensure full compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

The FO Spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to resolutely oppose Indian attempts to change the demographic structure and status of IIOJK as a disputed territory.

He said to apprise the UN leadership of Pakistan’s grave concerns on these developments, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had addressed a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the United Nations Secretary General.

He mentioned that the Foreign Minister had been regularly addressing letters to the Security Council and the UN Secretary General to keep the UN fully informed of the grave situation in the territory occupied by India.

He said Pakistan had also been reminding the UN Security Council of its responsibility for peaceful and just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions.

“We remain firm in our commitment to provide all possible support to the people of IIOJK in their just struggle for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination,” the FO Spokesperson said.

The Spokesperson said Pakistan had deep concern over the recent reports indicating “Indian machinations for further division, bifurcation and demographic changes in the IIOJK to perpetuate its illegal occupation”.

“We call upon the international community, including the United Nations, international human rights and humanitarian organizations, global media and world parliaments to take immediate cognizance of the situation,” he said.

He said IIOJK was an internationally recognized disputed territory, adding that India’s unilateral and illegal actions in IIOJK remain in violation of international law and numerous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

Responding to a question about Indian allegations against Pakistan following the recovery of uranium there, the spokesperson said the incident took place in India and was reported by its own media.

“I, therefore, wonder as to what made the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ Spokesperson believe that it depicted Pakistan’s desperation to malign India,” he said.

He said such incidents pointed to lax controls, poor regulatory and enforcement mechanisms, as well as possible existence of a black market for nuclear materials inside India.

“Instead of resorting to baseless and usual anti-Pakistan rhetoric, India must thoroughly investigate the matter in a credible and transparent manner. To comply with its international obligations, India must also take verifiable measures for strengthening the security of its nuclear materials,” he remarked.

To another question, he said the FATF Plenary meeting, scheduled in the last week of June 2021, will review the progress made by Pakistan under the FATF Action Plan and subsequently announce its decision.

He said Pakistan has made significant strides during implementation of the Action Plan through concerted national efforts. The tremendous progress made by Pakistan leading toward the conclusion of the Action Plan has been acknowledged by FATF as well as larger international community.

Responding to another query, the spokesperson said Pakistan abides by all its international obligations, and this applies to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment in case of Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The legislative measures taken by Pakistan are only aimed at giving full effect to the judgment of the ICJ. The legislation or its purpose should not be, in any way, misconstrued, he explained.

He said Pakistan has also taken up the issue of vaccines which are mandatory for travel to Saudi Arabia with the Saudi side. He said Pakistan had proposed inclusion of some of the Chinese vaccines used in Pakistan in the list of vaccines approved by the Saudi authorities.