Islamabad (Agencies): Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has urged the World Bank to fulfill its responsibility regarding empanelment of Court of Arbitration for resolution of water related disputes between Pakistan and India.
Addressing the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal reacted strongly to the recent statements of Indian leadership on the Indus Water Treaty.
The spokesperson added that both Pakistan and India are signatory to the treaty but regretted that New Delhi is violating it.
“We are involved in the dispute resolution mechanism in the World Bank but the matter has not been sorted out,” the spokesperson lamented.
Dr Faisal said Pakistan desires that the Indus Water Treaty remains intact and its dispute resolution mechanism moves forward. He reiterated that Pakistan desires better relations with India.
Responding to a question, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan has consistently been raising Kashmir dispute at all the international forums to highlight the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people.
When asked about terror attacks from the Afghan side inside Pakistani territory, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan has conveyed its strong reservations regarding continued presence of such nefarious elements in Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan has also urged the Afghan government to take action against these elements.
“Pakistan has always advocated for peaceful settlement of the Afghan conflict through an Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process,” the FO spokesperson asserted.
To another question, Dr Muhammad Faisal said Pakistan has suffered immensely in the war on terrorism and it will continue to play its role for eradication of this curse.
Responding to a question regarding departure of Asiya Bibi to Canada, the spokesperson confirmed the news and said that she was a free citizen and left the country on her own free will.
