ISLAMABAD , April 20, 2023: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be leading the Pakistan delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Foreign Ministers meeting being held on May 4 and 5 in Goa, India.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed the development while briefing the media persons in Islamabad on Thursday.
She said the foreign minister is attending the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting at the invitation of the current Chair Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs of India.
Ms Baloch said the participation in the meeting reflected Pakistan’s commitment to the SCO Charter and processes and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy priorities.
The spokesperson said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also attended the last meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in July last year in Tashkent.
Commenting on prevailing situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said even during the holy month of Ramazan, the Indian occupation authorities have continued to impose curbs and restrictions on the freedom of religion.
She said the occupation authorities last week, stopped Kashmiris from offering Friday prayer at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid.
She urged the Indian authorities to bring an end to the restrictions imposed on Kashmiris that prevent them from freely practicing their religion.
Ms Baloch said Pakistan will continue to raise its voice against these grave and systematic human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
She said Pakistan will also continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.