FO: (India’s action on Pakistan High Commission an attempt to divert attention from occupied Kashmir: FO)

ISLAMABAD:Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui has said India’s latest action of seeking fifty percent reduction in the staff strength of Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi is a part of India’s desperate attempts to divert attention from its state-terrorism and worst human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

In her televised opening statement of the weekly news briefing on Thursday, she said India would be better advised to focus on its internal and external issues, rather than creating diversions at the cost of peace and stability in South Asia.

She said Pakistan has been consistently sensitizing the world community that irresponsible policies of the BJP government are increasingly imperilling regional peace and stability. She said our diplomats and officials have always functioned within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms.

The Spokesperson categorically rejected and strongly condemned the baseless allegations made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs as a pretext to seek 50 percent reduction in the staff strength of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi.

She said Pakistan also strongly condemns the unabated extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth by the Indian occupation forces in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. She said the Indian occupation forces have martyred more than 110 innocent Kashmiris during the past 5 months. The BJP leadership must realize that it is directly responsible for these politically motivated, arbitrary killings of Kashmiris by the Indian security forces.

The Spokesperson said on the Line of Control, ceasefire violations by Indian security forces continue unabated. She said India has committed 1440 ceasefire violations in these six months, resulting in 13 shahadats and serious injuries to 104 innocent civilians.