By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday rejected recent statements by India's External Affairs Ministry regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while expressing cautious optimism about the prospects of renewed US-Iran negotiations despite escalating hostilities in the Gulf region.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi also provided updates on Pakistani hostages held by Somali pirates, addressed the situation in Afghanistan following cross-border strikes, and responded to questions on India's nuclear posture and water threats.

Responding to a question about statements by India's External Affairs Ministry regarding the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Andrabi rejected India's remarks "in their entirety."

"It is untenable for a state like India, which has consistently denied the people of Jammu and Kashmir their right to self-determination, to claim concerns over the rights of Kashmiris," the spokesman said. "By making such remarks, India seeks to divert attention from the unresolved status of Jammu and Kashmir and its own abysmal record in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K)."

Andrabi rejected any insinuation of "false equivalence" between the situation in IIOJ&K and matters relating to AJK, describing IIOJ&K as "an illegally annexed, internationally recognized disputed territory whose people have suffered systemic abuses under draconian laws."

"If India sincerely believes that the wishes of the Kashmiri people on both sides of the Line of Control should prevail, it must uphold their right to self-determination and agree to holding a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices," he added.

- US-Iran Talks: 'We Have Not Lost Hope'

Asked about the deteriorating situation in the Gulf following fresh US and Iranian strikes, Andrabi acknowledged the gravity of the situation but rejected any suggestion that Pakistan had lost hope for a diplomatic resolution.

"I tend to agree that it's very difficult to be optimistic in the given scenario – now that we have an open exchange of hostilities," he said. "But I would refrain from calling ourselves pessimistic or having 'lost hope.' I don't think that we have lost hope."

The spokesman noted that "cycles in an armed conflict – where you have space for peace, space for dialogue, and then you have a cycle of hostilities – are expected in all international conflicts."

Pakistan, he emphasized, "remains engaged and we work with a degree of optimism. Such optimism is essentially required for a mediator or a facilitator. If a mediator and facilitator loses hope, or becomes pessimistic, this does not augur well for the peace process."

Andrabi detailed Pakistan's recent diplomatic outreach, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's visit to Tehran this week, where he held important meetings with Iranian leadership and carried a message from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a letter from Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir.

The spokesman also noted that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar had met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 29 and held telephone conversations with the Iranian Foreign Minister and other regional counterparts following his return to Islamabad on June 1.

"Sequentially and following strong advocacy from Pakistan, the US and Israel engaged directly at the summit level on the late night/early morning of June 2 Pakistan time," Andrabi revealed. "As a result, Israel and Lebanon agreed on a ceasefire."

He acknowledged, however, that "the fragility of the situation on the ground in Lebanon, particularly South Lebanon" remains a concern.

- Pakistan Hostages in Somalia: Over 50 Days in Captivity

Andrabi provided a detailed update on Pakistani nationals held captive by Somali pirates aboard the cargo ship MT Honour 25 for over 50 days.

"Sadly, we have not been able to secure their release and repatriation, despite proactive engagement with the Somali authorities and the shipowner, both of whom are negotiating with the pirates and relevant tribes," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Dar spoke with Somalia's Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali two days ago, conveying Pakistan's "grave concern" and underscoring the importance of ensuring the hostages' well-being, early release, and safe repatriation.

Andrabi noted that Dar "spoke for all hostages that included nationals from Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar." The Somali foreign minister assured him of his government's "continued and sincere efforts" to secure the hostages' release.

Additional steps include the Foreign Secretary inviting the Somali Ambassador this week, a Pakistani Embassy team from Djibouti visiting Mogadishu to meet senior Somali government officials, and an inter-ministerial stakeholder meeting scheduled for early next week in Islamabad to streamline efforts.

- Afghanistan: Pakistan Defends Cross-Border Strikes

Responding to questions about reports that the Afghan Taliban government had summoned Pakistan's Charge d'affaires in Kabul to protest airstrikes, Andrabi said he had no official confirmation but did not deny the report.

The spokesman defended the June 9 strikes along the Pakistan-Afghan border, saying they were carried out "in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in North Waziristan on June 2 and a police station in Bannu on June 9."

"We acted on credible intelligence with selective targeting of camps and hideouts," Andrabi said. "The targeting was with precision and accuracy."

Regarding a UN report from UNAMA documenting 13 civilian deaths and 10 injuries, primarily women and children, from airstrikes in Khost, Kunar, and Paktika provinces, Andrabi said he could not comment without reviewing the report's methodology.

"Our strikes were precise and targeted at the hideouts and camps of these terrorist elements," he maintained.

- India's Nuclear Posture: A 'Destabilizing Development'

On India's nuclear capabilities, Andrabi said Pakistan had seen the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report suggesting India may have deployed around 12 nuclear warheads during peacetime.

"Pakistan is not surprised by these developments," he said. "These findings broadly corroborate concerns which Pakistan has consistently been raising regarding India's continued vertical proliferation."

The spokesman warned that India's development of canisterized missile systems, sea-based nuclear-capable submarines, and intercontinental ballistic missiles "enhance operational readiness, complicate crisis stability, and carry implications that extend beyond South Asia with grave consequences for international peace and security."

"Pakistan does not seek an arms race," Andrabi stressed. "However, we remain mindful of the evolving security environment. We will continue to take measures essential for preserving strategic stability and deterring India's aggression."

- India's Water Threat: 'Could Amount to an Act of War'

On Indian Water Minister C.R. Patil's statement that "not a single drop of water will go to Pakistan in coming years," Andrabi issued a strong warning.

"Any attempt to block or substantially curtail water vital to the livelihood, agriculture, and well-being of more than 250 million Pakistanis would be a deeply irresponsible act contrary to established international obligations concerning transboundary rivers and indeed India's own bilateral agreement," he said.

"Pakistan firmly rejects any notion that water can be treated as a political tool or instrument of coercion or a weapon."

The spokesman noted that "any deliberate attempt to block water essential to Pakistan's survival and development would constitute an extremely grave act with far-reaching consequences."

"As stated by us at the top leadership level in Pakistan, any such act would be treated with utmost seriousness and could possibly amount to an act of war," Andrabi warned, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter on the inherent right to self-defense.

- BLA Listing Blocked at UN

On the status of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade, Andrabi confirmed that an attempt to list the groups on the UN Security Council's counterterrorism committee was blocked due to "technical/procedural issues" raised by certain permanent members.

He noted, however, that the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and several European countries have listed the BLA as a designated terrorist organization within their domestic systems.

"Our mission to the United Nations in New York is engaged with the UN Secretariat and with relevant delegations on this issue," he said.

Concluding his remarks on the Middle East crisis, Andrabi quoted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: "This violence is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with the tenuous ceasefire and unbearable consequences it may lead to. Let us continue to remain on the path of peace and diplomacy, which have bright prospects of success instead of violence and destruction."

The spokesman urged journalists and observers not to lose hope. "Let us not draw the curtains on Pakistan's mediation role," he said. "Let us work with the spirit of positivity, and indeed this is what is guiding Pakistan's approach to this conflict."