ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office announced Thursday that Pakistan is acting against illegal foreigners within its borders, including their deportation as per the law of the land.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Foreign Office Spokesperson, said at a weekly press briefing that implementing these laws was being done for the security and safety of the country.
As the evacuation plan takes effect on November 1, she stated that Pakistan was in contact with the interim Afghan administration over the return of illegal Afghans.
She said, “We explained to them that this policy doesn’t pertain to Afghans only and extends to all nationalities without valid documents to stay in Pakistan.”
Asked if Pakistan intended to appoint a full-fledged ambassador in Afghanistan, she said Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, the current Head of Mission in Kabul, would continue to perform his duties in the same position.
She said Pakistan’s position was consistent on the situation in Gaza, demanding an end to cease fire, siege of Gaza, and indiscriminate bombing. Baloch noted that Pakistan stood for establishing the state of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
She added, “Our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza are at the receiving end of an inhumane campaign of collective punishment by the Israeli occupation forces. We mourn the over 6500 civilians killed in Gaza, including 2700 children due to Israel’s relentless and indiscriminate bombardment.”
Baloch stated that Pakistan was eager to see what would come out of today’s UNGA extraordinary emergency session because the UN Security Council had not even bothered to demand a cease-fire or end the bloodshed in Gaza.
She said Pakistan anticipated a “more responsive and pro-active role” from the UNSC. She also stated that any expansion or reforms must be democratic rather than establishing new power centers.
She denied that Pakistan had given any weapons or ammunition to Ukraine for use in its conflict with Russia.
When asked if Pakistan imposed fees on Gulf dignitaries during falcon hunting season, the FO official responded that a thorough and efficient system was in place to assist these foreign visitors.
She claimed that the provincial governments received recommendations for the dignitaries’ visit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the provinces collected the hunting fee.
According to her, hunting improved bilateral relations between the two countries and aided in the socio-economic growth of the surrounding territories.
In response to a query about the US decision to impose sanctions on Chinese companies for supposedly helping Pakistan develop its missile system, she stated that such designations went against US policy of export control waivers that allow India to build its capacity and jeopardize South Asia’s strategic stability.
According to Baloch, the foreign minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani, was in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Heads of Government. She said Pakistan would take over as chair of the Council today, the second-highest forum in the SCO.
According to the spokesperson, October 27 marks the 76th anniversary of the day in South Asian history when the Indian occupation forces invaded Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
Baloch said the Kashmiri people never accepted India’s illegal occupation of their land nor the systematic campaign to suppress them by force and to turn them into a disempowered minority in their land.
She said, “Pakistan will continue to provide political, moral, and diplomatic support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters until they realize their inherent right to self-determination as per the UNSC resolutions.” —APP
