Pakistan urges India to lift blockade in Occupied Kashmir amid coronavirus outbreak

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged the Indian government to lift the blockade in occupied Jammu and Kashmir in view of the outbreak of coronavirus and the reported cases of infected people there.

In her opening statement at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui stressed that lifting of restrictions is important to obtain full information of the infected people and to ensure the provision of essential items and medical supplies to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

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The spokesperson condemned the inhumane and brutal repression of the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian security forces.

Aisha Farooqui also strongly rejected all the attempts by the Indian government to call occupied Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India saying this is in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

Regarding the coronavirus, the spokesperson said that a series of measures have been taken by Pakistani authorities to prevent and contain its spread. She said the government and other stakeholders are monitoring and evaluating the situation and coordinating all systems and mechanisms to ensure the safety of its people.

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Aisha Farooqui said a crisis management cell has also been established in the foreign office to liaise with the diplomatic corps in Pakistan as well as with all our missions abroad and diaspora community in different parts of the world.

She said our embassies and consulates abroad have also established hotlines and nominated focal persons to facilitate overseas Pakistanis. She advised the overseas Pakistanis to avoid unnecessary travel and practice social distancing in a responsible manner for their own safety and those around them.