Asiya Bibi Is In Pakistan At Safe Place: FO Spokesperson

Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal Thursday, while rejecting the speculations about Asiya Bibi's leaving Pakistan, said she was in Pakistan and at a safe place.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal Thursday, while rejecting the speculations about Asiya Bibi's leaving Pakistan, said she was in Pakistan and at a safe place.

"Let me state clearly that Asiya Bibi remains at a safe place in Pakistan," he remarked in a weekly press briefing here and requested the media to confirm the authenticity of the news on such a sensitive issue as any misleading news item might result in unwanted situation.

"I would also request all of you to verify such news before issuing them, in line with standards of objective, impartial journalism to prevent needless sensationalism and controversy," the spokespersons said and urged media houses to confirm and reconfirm any news item with him especially those having national implications, before publication or dissemination.

However, he regretted to comment on whether Asiya Bibi's lawyer Saiful Muluk had left Pakistan, following any intervention of the European Union and the United Nations.

To a question, the spokesperson clarified that Dr Afia Siddiqui's case stayed important. The issue was taken up with the American side very effectively during the recent visit of Ambassador Alice G. Wells. Dr Aafia issue was very sensitive and Pakistan was treading very carefully in the matter.

Briefing media about the recent five-day visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China, the spokesperson said he had held talks with Li Keqiang, Premier, and met with Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Wang Qishan, Vice President of China respectively.

He said the meetings were marked by traditional warmth, mutual understanding and trust, and the leaders of the two countries had an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Regarding the situation in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK), the spokesperson said Indian occupation forces, during the so-called search and cordon operations martyred 19 Kashmiri people including mentally challenged Rayees Ahmad Wani in various areas of the territory.

He also strongly condemned the horrific killing of innocent Kashmiris at the hands of Indian occupation forces.

He said the report of the UK Parliament's All Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir (APPKG), on the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir coming on the footsteps of the OHCHR report is an important milestone validating Pakistan's position about the Indian atrocities in IoK.

The report also recommends an urgent investigation into the identities of bodies in mass and unmarked graves with independent forensic verification, ban of pellet guns, for the opening of IoK prisons to international inspection. He said these reports should serve as a wake up call for India and make it face the reality of its failure to suppress the indigenous legitimate Kashmiris struggle for the right to self determination in line with the UNSC resolutions.

The spokesperson also apprised media about the recent visits of a high-level UAE delegation, foreign minister's informal discussion with envoys from D-8 member countries, the visits of Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Javad Zarif, Ambassador Alice Wells, Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Abdul Aziz Kamilov, Governor of Osaka.

He told media that Pakistan won a four year term (2018-2022) for the Administrative Council of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) during elections held in Dubai, UAE on November 5.

Moreover, he said the United Nations would posthumously award late Asma Jahangir with the Human Rights Award 2018 on December 10 to recognize her achievements in the field of human rights.

To a question on the stranded Zaireen in Iraq who had missed their flight, the spokesperson said with the intensive efforts of Pakistan embassy, 69 Zaireen were put on the next available flight while five had been put on a flight which left early morning on the day (Thursday).

The embassy was also looking after the remaining 46 Zaireen and making all out efforts to facilitate their return, he added.

Responding to a question, the Dr Faisal said Pakistan had always raised its concerns regarding the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, as it was directly affected by this situation.

Asked about the planned trilateral meeting of Pakistani, Chinese and Afghan Foreign Ministers in Kabul, he expected that the meeting could be a step towards lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Regarding Indian connectivity projects with Central Asia, the spokesperson said Pakistan's efforts at connectivity were not directed at countering Indian influence but aim at creating an environment conducive to enhancing trade and people to people contacts within the region.

To a question, he said Mullah Baradar's release was facilitated by Pakistan at the US request in order to move forward on the shared objective of pursuing a political settlement in Afghanistan.

Regarding US sanctions on Iran, the spokesperson said the US had granted concessions to eight different countries who were major importers of oil from Iran including India. Pakistan's import of oil from Iran was quite limited at present. Exports from Pakistan to Iran mainly consisted of food items, textiles etc. which were not affected by the sanctions.

Asked about the number of Pakistani inmates Guantanamo Bay, he said as per the information available with the Foreign Office, there were five inmates of Pakistani origin currently detained at the Guantanamo Bay. These include Saifullah Paracha, Majid Khan, Abdul Rabbani, Mohammad Ghulam Rabbani and Ammar Al- Baluchi.