Pakistan turns down baseless Armenian statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday categorically rejected baseless comments by the Armenian prime minister alleging the involvement of Pakistani special forces alongside the Azerbaijani army in the ongoing conflict, ARY News reported.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhari said that President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has also clarified his stance on the matter stating that Azerbaijani forces are strong enough to defend their homeland and do not need the help of foreign forces.

He said it is regrettable that the leadership of Armenia, to cover up its illegal actions against Azerbaijan, is resorting to irresponsible propaganda, which it must stop.

The spokesperson said Pakistan believes that long-term peace and normalization of relations between the two parties would depend on the complete and comprehensive implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions and withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijani territories.

“For our part, we wish to make clear that Pakistan has consistently extended diplomatic, moral and political support to Azerbaijan,” Zahid Hafeez said and added that Pakistan will continue to stand by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan and support its right of self-defense against any aggression.

Earlier on October 2, Foreign Office had refuted media reports claiming the Pakistani army fighting alongside Azerbaijani forces against Armenia.

“The reports are speculative and baseless”, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri had said while answering queries of the media.

Reiterating Pakistan’s position on the issue, he had said Pakistan is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The spokesperson had said the intensive shelling by Armenian forces on civilian populations of Azerbaijan was reprehensible and most unfortunate.