Pakistan has finally decided to grant permission to the wife and the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav - a convicted Indian spy on death row - to meet with him on December 25 along with an Indian diplomat from its High Commission. "Pakistan has informed India that it is ready to allow the visit of the mother of Commander Jadhav, along with his wife," spokesperson Foreign Office Dr Mohammad Faisal told his weekly media briefing, adding that "the visit should happen on December 25, 2017." He said that a diplomat from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad will also be allowed to accompany the visitors and requisite security would be provided to them.
Earlier on November 23, Spokesperson Indian External Affairs Ministry, Raveesh Kumar said that India has sought sovereign guarantees from Pakistan to ensure the safety, security of Jadhav's family. "We have also sought sovereign guarantees from the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and wellbeing of the wife and mother of Jadhav and that they shall not be questioned, harassed or interrogated during their visit and stay in Pakistan," Kumar said.
On Trump administration's move to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, Dr Faisal said that the people and government of Pakistan have noted with grave concern the move by the United States to shift its embassy to the occupied city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, thereby altering the legal and historical status of the city. "Such a step constitutes a clear violation of the international law and UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly UNSCR 478 of 1980," he said, adding it would also sidestep decades of global consensus on this issue, undermine regional peace and security, as well as derail any prospects for a lasting peace in the Middle East. "Pakistan renews its call for establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital," he said.
"It is deeply regrettable that pleas from states across the globe not to alter the legal and historical status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif have been ignored, more out of choice than necessity," he regretted.
To a question as whether the Saudi-led Islamic military alliance can play a role on the issue of Jerusalem, he said that the OIC will hold its emergency session soon. "Let us wait for the decisions reached at the OIC meeting," he said, adding that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will attend the meeting. He further said that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif will attend the Council of Foreign Ministers' Session of the OIC. "We will follow the policy that OIC adopts at the end of this emergency session," he added.
Commenting on CIA director's statement with regard to alleged 'safe havens' in Pakistan, he described the statements by the CIA chief and other US officials as "unwarranted," saying that Pakistan's position on the issue of 'safe havens' has been clearly articulated by the leadership many times. "We have also stated that having cleared the entire FATA through effective counterterrorism operations, the intelligence-based operations will continue throughout the country in our own national interest," he said.
On US Defence Secretary James Mattis' visit, he said that it was part of the regular high-level engagement between the two countries to exchange views on bilateral and regional issues. Secretary Mattis held separate meetings with the civilian and military leadership to find common ground on matters of mutual interest, particularly the peace and stability in Afghanistan, he added.
Asked to comment on the Chief of Air Staff's statement that PAF will shoot down any US drone violating Pakistan's airspace, he declined to comment further on his statement, saying that Pakistan's policy on drone strikes is clear and already in public domain. "There is no change or policy shift," he added.
In response to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's offer of government-to-government talks with Pakistan, he said that Pakistan has continued to emphasize the importance of meaningful engagement with Afghanistan. In this regard, he said that consistent high-level visits have been emanating from Islamabad to Kabul. He pointed out that Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa led an inter-agency delegation to Kabul on October 01, 2017. In the follow-up to that visit five working groups are being formulated on the basis of a proposal made by Pakistan, he said. He said that President Ghani in his statement at the Heart of Asia Conference appreciated the comprehensive proposal made by Pakistan to enhance cooperation on counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, military, economy, trade and transit interaction, refugees' repatriation and connectivity.
Rejecting the Indian statistics on the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary, he said that the Foreign Minister on November 20, 2017 addressed a letter to the Indian External Affairs Minister underlining the loss of precious lives which benefits neither side and is a threat to regional peace and tranquility. He said that the foreign minister urged his Indian counterpart to take extraordinary measures to avoid loss of human lives and de-escalate tensions, through the intervention of political leadership to help augment existing arrangements, such as the DG MOs hotline contacts and border meetings, which do not seem to be working. "The foreign minister's letter is a testament to Pakistan's desire to have a peaceful neighborhood which is essential for development of the people," he added. In 2017, he said that more than 1,300 Indian ceasefire violations, the highest ever in the recent past, have resulted in deaths of 52 and injuring 175 other people.
To another query, he said that Pakistan and China consult each other regularly on all aspects of CPEC and any decision regarding the participation of other countries will be based on bilateral and mutual consultations and consensus.
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