January 7, 2021 – Page 5 – PPI News Agency

January 7, 2021

Foreign Minister’s telephonic call with the Foreign Minister of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Islamabad, January 07, 2021 (PPI-OT): Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, today. Foreign Minister Qureshi congratulated his Saudi counterpart on holding a successful Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Al-Ula on 5 January 2021. The Foreign Minister appreciated the positive role played by Saudi Arabia in the resolution of outstanding issues among the members of the GCC. The Foreign Minister hoped that the spirit of cooperation exhibited at the GCC-Summit in Al-Ula will promote confidence and cooperation among the GCC countries and will also contribute towards enhanced regional peace, security and development.

Foreign Minister Qureshi thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its support during the 47th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Niamey, in November 2020, in particular for the adoption of OIC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir dispute and combating Islamophobia. The two Foreign Ministers discussed ways to further deepen and expand bilateral relations and collaborate closely in multilateral organizations. They also agreed to continue mutual consultations on regional and global issues of common interest. Foreign Minister Qureshi said he looked forward to receiving the Saudi Foreign Minister in Islamabad, at an early date.

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January 7, 2021

High Commissioner for Pakistan in Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui calls on Bangladesh State Minister of Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam

Islamabad, January 07, 2021 (PPI-OT): High Commissioner for Pakistan Mr. Imran Ahmed Siddiqui called on the Hon’ble State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Md. Shahriar Alam today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and agreed to work further for promotion of bilateral relations, says a press release received from Dhaka here today. The High Commissioner handed over a signed copy of Tripartite Agreement of 1974 to the Hon’ble State Minister which had addressed all the outstanding issues between the two countries.

The High Commissioner said that the agreement should serve as a foundation for further strengthening of the existing fraternal relations. The High Commissioner further underlined that in order to establish productive commercial relations, there was a need to address all non-trade barriers and efforts need to be made to facilitate frequent interaction between the business sectors of the two countries. In this connection, the High Commissioner further informed the Minister that Pakistan had already removed all restrictions on Pakistani visa for Bangladeshi citizens. The two sides agreed to intensify bilateral contacts at all levels.

January 7, 2021

World’s silence cause of Indian atrocities in IIOJK: APHC

Srinagar, January 07, 2021 (PPI-OT): In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference has said that the criminal silence adopted by the international community and the UN on the grim situation in the territory has emboldened India to continue with its atrocities on the Kashmiris.

The APHC spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the illegal actions taken by Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government on and post August 05, 2019 were aimed at changing the demographic character of IIOJK. He pointed out that since August 05 unilateral and unconstitutional move, the RSS-backed communal BJP government had intensified the killing spree and was settling the Indian Hindus in the occupied territory to convert the Muslim majority into a minority.

The spokesman said that thousands of Kashmiris illegally detained during the period had been kept in inhuman condition to break their resolve for freedom from Indian occupation. He urged the international community to impress upon New Delhi to respect the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and give them their inalienable right to self-determination without any further delay.

The Chairman of Islami Tanzeem-e-Azadi, Abdul Samad Inqilabi, in a statement issued in Srinagar strongly denouncing the continued illegal detention of Dukhtaran-e-Millat Chairperson, Aasiya Andrabi, and her two associates, Naheeda Nasreen and Fehmeeda Sofi in New Delhi’s infamous Tihar jail demanded their immediate release.

Meanwhile, people staged a protest in Rajouri town against the killing of a missing youth. They demanded probe into the killing of the youth, Mohammad Zahoor, whose body was recovered from the bushes near a local bus stand in the area after three days.

Over 25,000 public transport vehicles remained off the road in support of a one-day strike call, today. The strike call was given by IIOJK Transport Welfare Association against the imposition of penalty on the transporters by the authorities and to demand a hike in fare.

Meanwhile, IIOJK remained cut off from the rest of the world for the fifth consecutive day, today, due to the closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway owing to accumulation of snow and landslides at several places. Thousands of vehicles including loaded trucks are stranded on the highway. Dozens of houses and other structures were damaged while many areas were without electricity because of heavy intermittent snowfall since Sunday.