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Staff ReporterISLAMABAD Pakistan on Thursday welcomed the ‘Declaration of Unity’ signed by the Palestinian political factions in Beijing while recognizing and commending China’s role in bringing the factions together for meaningful negotiations.“Unity amongst the Palestinian people is of paramount significance in view of the ongoing war crimes against the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza, and the blatant disregard for international law by the Israeli occupation forces,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at her weekly press briefing here.Calling upon the international community to intervene immediately to bring an end to the ongoing illegal and incessant aggression in Gaza, she reiterated Pakistan’s support for the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, their right of return to Palestine and the establishment of an independent state of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.Regarding the periodic report of the Human Rights Committee in Geneva on India, she said during the proceedings, questions were raised about arrests under draconian laws like Public Safety Act and Public Security Act, and frequent suspension of mobile internet service in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.“This demonstrates continuing concerns of the international human rights machinery about the dismal human rights situation in IIOJK. We call on the international community to take note of these human rights abuses by India in IIOJK and to bring an end to the suppression of the Kashmiri people,” she said and reiterated Pakistan’s continued political, diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiri people.The spokesperson announced that at the invitation of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Tehran on July 30 to attend the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect of Iran Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian.The visit attests to the commitment by the two countries to strengthen leadership level engagement and bilateral cooperation, she added.Similarly, Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi will lead the Pakistan delegation at the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting, being held on July 27 in Lao People’s Democratic Republic where he will take part in discussions on political and security issues, share Pakistan’s perspective and also hold bilateral meetings with the participating dignitaries.She also apprised the media of the visit of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov from July 22-25 who called on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, besides holding extensive talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and co-chairing the Third Round of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Bilateral Political Consultations.During the talks, two sides agreed to intensify efforts in political, economic, and defence cooperation; to foster parliamentary, cultural, and educational exchanges; and strengthen collaboration in multilateral forums. The two sides also exchanged views on global and regional developments including the situation in Afghanistan and IIOJK.Spokesperson Baloch said that outgoing Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, arrived here on Wednesday for a three-day visit to meet with the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and the minister of commerce.Secretary General Noziri is on his farewell visit to Pakistan as he concludes his term next month. Starting next month, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will assume the position of the ECO Secretary General for a three-year term.The spokesperson apprised the media of a two-day Regional Conference on Export Control Programme for Dual-Use Goods in Central Asia being hosted by Pakistan on July 24-25 and being attended by senior officials and experts from Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the US, the EU, the UN, and other international organizations to discuss national approaches to strategic trade controls and promote international cooperation in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1540.To a question, she said Pakistan had taken up the matter of an attack on its consulate in Frankfurt with the German government and continued to take measures and work with the host government to ensure the safety of its diplomatic missions.Asked about the reports of US Administration seeking a budget of $101 million for Pakistan, she called it an internal debate of the US Congress and US Administration. However, she said traditionally, such aid is meant for the civil society area and promoting strategic priority areas of the US.Regarding the reported US official’s statement of using the said aid to balance China’s role, she said Pakistan did not believe in situations where relationship with one country can be sacrificed at the altar of any other country’s relationship.To a question, she said Pakistan had taken note of a discussion at a “private event” held at a side room of the Houses of Lords, held by a political party in London that also invited some parliamentarians. However, she said that the parliamentarians and legislative bodies should contribute to promoting positive dynamics in bilateral relations and developing mutual understanding and respect.The spokesperson told the media that Pakistan had already sent consignments of humanitarian goods for the suffering people of Palestine and was working to send more in the coming days.
