The Pakistani Foreign Office (FO) announced on Friday that there are no ongoing talks with India to resume bilateral trade. FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch made this statement during her weekly press briefing, highlighting that the suspension of trade is a result of India’s actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2019.
Baloch explained that Pakistan halted trade with India after the Indian government revoked Article 370 of its constitution on August 5, 2019, effectively annexing IIOJK. “This situation remains unchanged,” she stated, reinforcing Pakistan’s stance.
During the briefing, Baloch condemned the recent killing of four Kashmiri youth by Indian forces in Doda district, describing it as yet another example of India’s oppressive actions in the region. She called on the international community to hold India accountable for its human rights violations and to protect the rights of the Kashmiri people.
Regarding recent border tensions, Baloch urged Afghanistan’s interim government to avoid unprovoked actions at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. This statement came in response to a recent clash between Pakistani and Afghan forces near the Torkham border crossing. The incident, which occurred on August 12, involved heavy cross-border firing after Pakistani forces objected to the construction of a checkpost by Afghan forces. Baloch emphasized that Pakistani forces acted in self-defense and called for restraint from the Afghan side, stressing the importance of resolving misunderstandings through diplomatic channels.
Baloch also dismissed allegations of Pakistan’s involvement in the ouster of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid, stating there is no truth to these claims. She affirmed that the people of Bangladesh have the right to determine their own future.
In addition, Baloch strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque by extremist settlers, an act she described as a violation of the Geneva Convention and an affront to Muslims worldwide. She urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to take immediate action to protect the sanctity of holy sites in Jerusalem and ensure the freedom of worship for Palestinians.