By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged the Indian government to lift the blockade in occupied Jammu and Kashmir in view of the outbreak of coronavirus and the reported cases of infected people there.
In her opening statement, at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui stressed that lifting of restrictions is important to obtain full information of the infected people and to ensure the provision of essential items and medical supplies to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The spokesperson condemned the inhumane and brutal repression of the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian security forces.
Aisha Farooqui also strongly rejected all the attempts by the Indian government to call occupied Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India saying this is in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.
Regarding the coronavirus, the spokesperson said that a series of measures have been taken by Pakistani authorities to prevent and contain its spread. She said the government and other stakeholders are monitoring and evaluating the situation and coordinating all systems and mechanisms to ensure safety of the people.
Aisha Farooqui said a crisis management cell has also been established in the foreign office to liaise with the diplomatic corps in Pakistan as well as with all our missions abroad and diaspora community in different parts of the world. She said our embassies and consulates abroad have also established hotlines and nominated focal persons to facilitate overseas Pakistanis. She advised the overseas Pakistanis to avoid unnecessary travel and practice social distancing in a responsible manner for their own safety and those around them.
The Foreign Office on Thursday advised the Pakistani community abroad to avoid all non-essential travel, stay clear from points of congregation and practice social-distancing in a responsible manner for the safety of their own and of all around.
“We advise our diaspora to exercise caution and personal responsibility for their personal health as well as of those in their family and communities in line with the advisories of local authorities wherever they may be,” Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in her opening remarks at the weekly media briefing.
The regular briefing was held without reporters as part of social-distancing to contain spread of COVID-19. The Spokesperson’s opening statement was shown live through the official television channel, with her response on questions received from reporters through email to be updated later on FO website. The FO Spokesperson said the role of media in building public awareness on safety and precaution during the difficult time, was crucial and deeply valued. This challenge can only be tackled through collective action, she added.
Farooqui said COVID-19 was a rapidly evolving situation and the government and other stakeholders were monitoring, evaluating and coordinating all mechanisms and systems to ensure safety of the citizens. She mentioned that Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also decided to take precautionary measures against any potential public exposure and had therefore suspended all walk-in Consular Services except the attestation of Power of Attorney.
Attestation of documents can be carried out through courier companies during this period. Walk in Consular Services would remain suspended from 18 March till 3 April, and would be reviewed subsequently, she said.
She mentioned that the Ministry had also established a Crisis Management Unit for coordination on Covid-19 under the supervision of Special Secretary (Administration) to liaise with the diplomatic corps in Pakistan as well as with the missions abroad. On the 228th day of the lockdown faced by the people in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Spokesperson said.
