Islamabad: Pakistan has said that the Syrian people have the right to decide their own future without any foreign interference or outside influence.
The comments were made by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Buluch as she spoke of the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by rebels earlier this week.
After Assad’s exile, Mohammed al-Bashir, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies, led the country’s interim government until March.
“We are following the events in Syria and we are concerned about the wave of violence. We fully support the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria,” Buluch said at a press conference on Thursday.
Buluch said that Islamabad always supports efforts aimed at finding a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Syria.
Expressing Pakistan’s concern about Israel’s aggression, illegal occupation and widespread destruction in Syria, Buluch said that the attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria is a serious violation of international law.
“We support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and reject Israel’s occupation of that territory by force. We reaffirm our support for UN Security Council Resolution 497, which declares Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights illegal and without the force of international law,” he said.
475 Pakistanis crossed the Syrian border
The spokesperson said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan’s missions in Syria and Lebanon are actively involved in facilitating the return of detained Pakistani nationals from Syria.
“About 475 Pakistanis, including 250 Zaireans, crossed the Syrian border into Lebanon. They will be transferred from Beirut to Islamabad. We appreciate the support of the Lebanese government for the safe return of Pakistani citizens from Syria,” he said.
Pakistan has expressed concern over the activities of terrorist groups
The press secretary also addressed the terrorist attack on Wednesday in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the incident “reprehends all acts of terrorism for any reason and Pakistan categorically condemns all forms of terrorism.” species. “
He said that Pakistan is concerned about the activities of terrorist groups that threaten the lives of Pakistani people.
“Terrorist groups finding shelter in Afghanistan and operating against Pakistan remain a serious concern for Pakistan. This issue is on the agenda between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
We continue to insist on dialogue to resolve the issue and hope that we can ensure that this terrorist group does not threaten the security of Pakistan,” he said.
When asked about Pakistan’s upcoming engagement with the US administration on terrorism, he said it was mutually beneficial to continue dialogue and cooperation on terrorism and transnational organized crime. This remains a priority for Pakistan in its relations with the US and other friendly countries.
