ISLAMABAD: Spokesperson of Pakistan Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has stated that on November 14th, for the first time, a trilateral (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan) trade-level meeting took place.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and the Minister for Trade of Afghanistan visited Pakistan. Prime Minister Anwarul Haq had meetings with various federal ministers, including the Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister and the Afghan Trade Minister. Discussions were held among all three parties on cross-border trade, transit trade, foreign direct investment, and public-private partnerships.
Spokesperson of the Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, stated in a weekly media briefing in Islamabad that the Minister for Commerce of Afghanistan met with Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani demanded Afghanistan to take action against terrorist organizations, especially the TTP, and emphasized the need to escalate discussions on this matter.
The spokesperson of the Foreign Office mentioned that there is ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, condemning attacks on hospitals in Gaza by Israel. Pakistan condemns Israel for violating international laws and humanitarian principles by targeting hospitals. The Israeli military has targeted schools, hospitals, and populations in Gaza.
Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq’s spokesperson participated in the ICIC conference in Saudi Arabia and strongly condemned Israeli aggression and brutality regarding Palestine. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that there were trade negotiations last week among Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kazakhstan, including the Deputy Minister of Trade for Transit Afghanistan meeting with the Foreign Minister. Discussions encompassed trade and other bilateral matters among these three countries.
Mumtaz Zahra, while discussing the current situation in Kashmir, said that the Indian army has seized numerous properties in Jammu and Kashmir. India is occupied with land seizures in the occupied Kashmir, holding the lands in Pulwama under the control of human rights defenders. Meanwhile, Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmiris for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
They said that talks on countering-terrorism are being held today between Pakistan and Russia. Pakistan has been elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the year 2027 and will establish connections in all regions. Additional Secretary Haider Shah is leading the Pakistani delegation. Responding to former UNHCR Ambassador Angelina Jolie’s statement, the Foreign Office spokesperson said that such statements are based on misunderstanding; Pakistan is taking action against illegal residents. Discussing the matter of providing pensions to retired military and civilian officers in foreign currency, it was stated that the Foreign Office provided information under the Right to Information Act to an applicant, refraining from disclosing the names of pensioners in foreign currency while respecting privacy. In response to the question of why pensions are being given in foreign currency, the Foreign Office spokesperson clarified that this matter does not fall under their jurisdiction, suggesting consulting the Auditor General of Pakistan for a stance on this issue
