Islamabad: Pakistan Tuesday briefed the entire diplomatic corps here on the border tensions with India and reiterated its “principled position on the Kashmir dispute” of demand for an impartial plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the UN Resolutions.
The ministry of foreign affairs briefed the diplomatic corps on the situation arising from the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary (WB) by the Indian armed forces, a statement said.
“The briefing included a detailed presentation by a senior representative of the military operations directorate to explain the situation on-ground, the frequency and intensity of the unprovoked and indiscriminate firing and shelling by the Indian security forces since Sep 30, 2014, and details of civilian casualties, injuries and damage to property,” the foreign office statement said.
The official “informed that efforts towards restoring peace and tranquillity on the LoC and the WB through available means of communications were not responded to by the Indian side.
“On a few occasions of sector-level hotline contacts, the Indian side refused to acknowledge that its troops were firing, despite intense shelling on the civilian population in Pakistan, taking place at that time.”
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Tariq Fatemi, referred to “the positive overtures of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the previous and present Indian governments” and said that early restoration of peace and tranquility on the border “was of paramount importance to the region”.
Fatemi expressed the “government’s deep concern that the Indian ceasefire violations were increasingly targeting Pakistani territory across the Working Boundary.
“In the face of adversity, the people of Pakistan stood united with the government and armed forces of Pakistan to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. There would be no compromise on the country’s core interests,” he said.
Fatemi “underlined that the credibility of the UN system was at stake if its resolutions remained unimplemented as all member countries look up to this sole international body, to address issues relating to peace and stability”.
He “reiterated Pakistan’s principled position on the Kashmir dispute and that it will maintain its steadfast support till the resolution of the issue, in accordance with the UN Resolutions ensuring the right of the Kashmiris to self-determination, through an impartial plebiscite”.
He “urged the diplomatic corps to brief their capitals on the prevailing situation and to impress upon India the urgent need to stop ceasefire violations, eschew provocative statements leading to war hysteria, and engage in a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan, to resolve all outstanding issues through a sustained dialogue process”.
Pakistan has written to the UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon on the Kashmir issue and also broached the subject with the envoys of the P5 countries here.