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PR No. 65 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has strongly condemned the Blast at Karachi and ordered immediate enquiry into the incident. He also ordered the authorities to provide best medical facilities to the injured. **PMMO/Ahmad**
PR No. 66 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday said world pressure has forced India to the negotiating table as the international community now realizes the importance of resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute. The Prime Minister was addressing a meeting of the Azad Jammu Kashmir Cabinet here at the AJK House to express solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren on the Kashmir Solidarity Day. Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan has always sought resolution of the Kashmir dispute peacefully through talks and desires that the Kashmiris are made part of the dialogue process.
He said
Pakistan’s principled
stance on Kashmir dispute remains unchanged and the government will
continue its political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of
Kashmir. He said unless the dispute is resolved lasting peace in the region cannot be ensured. He assured that the Government of Pakistan would release funds for development projects in AJK on priority basis as it believes that progress of Pakistan was linked to the progress of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister who had planned to visit Muzaffarabad to observe the day along with the Kashmiris, had to cancel his trip due to bad weather. He joined the Kashmiri leaders including AJK President Raja Zulqarnain, Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Speaker AJK, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah, Sardar Sikandar Hayat, members of AJK Cabinet, AJK Council and others in expressing solidarity with them by forming a human chain. He also inaugurated a number of development projects of bridges and schools that were devastated in the October 8, 2005 earthquake. Earlier, Prime Gilani inaugurated a number of development projects for Azad Kashmir including five steel bridges in Neelum and Jhelum valleys; five middle schools for boys and girls in Hatian Bala and Muzaffarabad; five girls primary school in Muzaffarabad District with the assistance of federal government; a zonal office of Zarai Taraqiati Bank in Muzaffarabad and a Utility Top Line Super Market in Muzaffarabad. The leadership of AJK appreciated Prime Minister Yusuf Gilani’s endeavours for raising the Kashmir issue at every forum and thanked the government and people of Pakistan for their wholehearted support towards their Kashmiri brethren. They also acknowledged him for taking personal interest in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake affected areas. Minister for Kashmir Affairs Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Chairman ERRA Salim Altaf also attended the events. Gilani also distributed documents and keys of tractors being distributed under the Benazir Tractor Scheme. Earlier on his arrival at the Kashmir House, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani joined a group of young children from Azad Kashmir in the national anthems of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. **PMMO/Ahmad**
PR
No. 67 Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker, National Assembly of Pakistan called on Iranian President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in Presidential Palace in Tehran. While talking to the Iranian President, Dr. Fehmida Mirza said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Iran and has a strong desire to further consolidate the existing political and economic ties. Dr. Fehmida Mirza said that Iran and Pakistan have commonalities of Religion, history and culture. She said that the bane of extremism and terrorism was a common threat to the stability and progress of the region. She called for evolving a joint strategy to counter that common treat. She apprised the President about the military initiative against the deviant elements in the tribal belt of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan. She said that the ongoing military operation was being conducted by Pakistan with its own resources which should be supplemented by all the friendly countries. Dr. Fehmida Mirza said that government of Pakistan has created a conducive environment for investment in all sectors of economy. She underlined the need to boost commercial and economic ties between both the countries by removing impediments in bilateral trade and investment. She expressed the need for speedy implementation of the Iran-Pakistan Gas pipeline project which would help Pakistan to meet its energy requirements. She termed the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project, an opening of new avenues of progress and prosperity in both the countries. President of Iran Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran also values high its relations with Pakistan and wanted to further strengthen the bilateral relations. He said that Pakistan was an important country in the region due to its geo-strategic position. He agreed that Iran would support Pakistan in its struggle against internal and external challenges. He said that Muslim Ummah was going through difficulties and stressed the need to forge unity amongst the Muslim states to counter their problems and misperceptions about Islam. He agreed for collaboration in defense, energy, education and other sectors of economy. Iranian President suggested for strengthening of OIC, ECO and trilateral mechanism between Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Both the leaders also agreed for strengthening of parliamentary ties between Iran and Pakistan. Later, Dr. Fehmida Mirza and her parliamentary delegation proceeded to Mashad. The Governor of the Mashad Province extended a red carpet welcome to the Speaker and the Parliamentary delegation at the Mashad Airport. The Governor of Mashad called on Speaker National Assembly and discussed matters of mutual interest of the both the countries. Later he hosted a reception in the honour of Speaker National Assembly and the Parliamentary delegation.
PR
No. 68 Federal Minister for Population Welfare, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has strongly condemned the bomb attack on a mourners’ bus in Karachi, in which a dozen of people were reported martyred and many injured.
In a message issued here on Friday, the Minister expressed her
deep condolences with the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace
to the departed souls, besides for early recovery of those injured in the
terrorist act.
PR
No. 69 Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi has strongly condemned the Karachi bomb blasts and expressed his grief and sorrow over the tragic demise of innocent people in two terrorist attacks. He described the blasts as cowardice attack of the anti-Islamic elements which according to him are bent upon to ruin the peace and create terror in the masses. He urged upon ulemas and political leaders to come forward for maintaining unity among the people for combating the terrorist activities in the country which would help foiling the nefarious designs of the anti-Islamic elements. The Minister was of the view that Islam teaches peace and tolerance and discourages any kind of extremism, adding that terrorists have no faith in religion rather enemy of human being. He said that the people have seen the real faces of the extremists and hoped that by joint efforts, the war on terror can successfully be won. He once again requested the people of Karachi to remain peaceful and avoid any kind of confrontation and violence in the city.
PR
No. 70 Pakistan Embassy Kuwait organized a community gathering at Chancery premises today to observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day. A cross-section of Pakistani community in Kuwait attended the event, says a press release received from the Embassy of Pakistan, Kuwait here today. After recitation of the Holy Quran, a documentary film highlighting the background of Kashmir struggle for their right of self-determination and Kashmir Solidarity Day was shown to the audience. The documentary was seen with keen interest by the audience. Later, the Chargé d’ Affaires of Pakistan, Mr. Sajjad Ahmad Seehar read out the messages of the President and the Prime Minister on the occasion. He also requested Pakistani community to highlight the issue amongst their local friends about the genesis of the problem and sufferings of the Kashimiri people. In this regard, pamphlets and articles highlighting Kashmiri struggle for self-determination were also distributed amongst the attendees. The ceremony served the purpose of acquainting Pakistani community in Kuwait regarding the Kashmiri struggle and Government of Pakistan’s just stand to support their struggle for right of self-determination. After the conclusion of the ceremony, light refreshments were served to the participants.
PR
No. 71 Kashmir was the core dispute impeding development of full trade relations between Pakistan and India and unless it was resolved, durable peace in South Asia could never be realized, says a press release received from the Embassy of Pakistan, Jakarta, here today. This was the consensus view of the participants attending a special Kashmir Forum at the Pakistan Embassy on Friday. Chief Editor, Jakarta Post, Endy Bayuni, Mr. M Siddique, known Indonesian analyst on South Asia, Dr. Zahir Khan, Chairman Kashmir Solidarity Forum, Mr. Jamshed Hamid former legal advisor, Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, senior faculty members of Al Azhar University and University of Indonesia were prominent among the speakers. A large number of students from various educational institutions were also present. Ambassador of Pakistan to Jakarta, Sanaullah conducted the proceedings of the Forum. Ambassador Sanaullah in his remarks said it was an undeniable fact that the UN resolutions on Kashmir formed the core basis for peaceful solution of the Kashmir dispute. It was also a fact that Kashmir issue had to be settled in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiris. He said that Pakistan had always taken Kashmiriri leadership into confidence before going for talks with India on Kashmir. They were and would remain the main aggrieved party in the whole issue and should never be ignored, he said. “We have also urged Indians to associate Kashmiris with the peace process but so far they have ignored our plea”, he added. Her also referred to the CBMs Pakistan had agreed to facilitate people to people contacts across borders. It was felt that these CBMs would serve as catalysts for resolution of Kashmir dispute but he regretted that these had not been matched by India in terms of flexibility on its stance. He emphasized that Pakistan would never allow it territory to be used for militant activities against any one. The ambassador also made a special mention of Indonesian government’s statement through which it urged peaceful resolution of Kashmir and stressed Pakistan and India to resume talks. He appreciated this gesture and said Pakistan had always called for resumption of dialogue with India but the process was discontinued by India in 2008. He welcomed the Indian invitation to resume the stalled talks at the Foreign Secretaries level to which the government of Pakistan had already responded positively. Mr. Jamshed Hamid put forth the legal position of the Kashmir issue and also dwelt at length on the legal background of the longstanding problem. The crux of his talk was that the UN proposals provided the basis for the resolution of the dispute. The Simla Agreement he said, did not change the legal position of the resolutions. Mr. M Siddique, also representing an important Indonesian NGO, giving his views urged effective projection of the Kashmir dispute through media as it was necessary to familiarize more and more Indonesians about the gravity of this problem and the agony their Muslim brethren in Kashmir were facing. Among other participants, Mr. Maleeq and M Rizwan, in their comments said Kashmir dispute was a serious Human Rights issue and Indonesia being the torch bearer of human rights must play its due role in helping out the Muslim Kashmiri brethren. They said 700,000 Indian troops had massacred over 93000 innocent Kashmiris and devastated the whole area through acts of arson, rape and open genocide. Human Rights organizations needed to take due stock of the situation. Such large scale barbarism should not go unnoticed they emphasized. Earlier the messages of President and Prime Minister issued on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day were read out to the participants.
PR
No. 72 Federal Minister for Housing and Works Rehmat Ullah Kakar has strongly condemned the bomb blasts in Karachi and said those playing with lives of innocent people would not escape the wrath of Allah and law of the land. In a statement, the Minister conveyed his heartfelt grief and sorrow to the members of blasts victims’ families and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls. The Minister said that such cowardly acts of terrorism were aimed to derail the process of democracy and impede the socio-economic uplift of the masses in the country.
PR
No. 73 Federal Minister Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme Farzana Raja strongly condemned the blasts in Karachi which resulted in loss of precious lives and injuries to others. In a statement, she expressed profound condolences with the bereaved families and prayed for early recovery of those who sustained injuries in the blast. She said the terrorists were enemies of Pakistan and Islam and added it was a shameful act of terrorism, which reflects inhumane and callous nature of the perpetrators. She prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and sympathized with the bereaved families.
PR No. 74 Pakistan Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina observed the Kashmir Solidarity Day in keeping with the spirit and objectives of the Day. The plight and sufferings of the Kashmiri people under Indian occupation and their struggle for the inalienable right of self determination has been highlighted effectively. A gist of activities on the Day is as under: i) A solemn gathering was held in the Embassy in which Pakistani residents, BiH electronic and print media persons, academicians, students, intelligentsia and people belonging to diverse walks of life participated. ii) Ambassador Mr. Jauhar Saleem read the messages of the President and the Prime Minister underlining the diplomatic and political support of the government and people of Pakistan to the inalienable right of self-determination of the Kashmiri brethren. He also elaborated upon the genesis and present status of the Kashmir dispute. iii) A prominent Professor of the University of Sarajevo sensitized the audience on the importance of the Day and provided the historical background of the issue in an effective way. iv) Background material was distributed among the audience. v) Comprehensive articles explaining the causes of the Kashmir Issue were managed in the media. vi) An advertisement giving an account of the atrocities committed by the Indian forces was placed in the leading Bosnian daily. vii) The Ambassador gave various interviews to Bosnian electronic and print media to highlight the Kashmir issue. viii) The Ambassador also apprised the opinion makers on the current status of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the Kashmir issue.
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